Featured Poet - J.A. McGovern

American Tragedy

It’s terrifying to see a person at such a young age: so 

full of life, rebellious to society, a dreamer, with a heart 

calling to the wild. Fall down to the bottom of a false 

apprehension to a dreamless, non-energetic, emotionless, 

useless, bound to societal machine. Ceasing to fight for 

what beliefs they contain - portraying youth till death. 

To them, my painful heart weeps tears of degradation 

within my soul. Every person I watch settle in life to a 

mediocre desk job and a half witted pay check tears tiny 

pieces of my broken heart. And my heart doesn’t have 

much substance left.

Town

I come from the small town 

Just beyond the dark green pasture

Have you been there?

Young children run outside after school 

Singing delightful songs

Have you heard them?

Loving housewives spend the day 

Baking delectable apple pies for families to enjoy

Have you smelt it?

Droopy sad hounds chase fearful felines 

Through long thicket grass

Could you imagine them?

Every man is paid five shillings 

After a hard week of work

Have you received it?

I come from the quaint town 

Just beyond the meadow

Have you been there?



The Battle of Brotherhood

Together we lie silent

You and I

Bonded by dripping blood,

Battling a fatal passion,

Ornery brothers holding in arms.

Time to rest,

Lie still, until – 

We meet again

In the next life



Wine Drops

Visions

Appearing through a broken wine glass

Under dinner table 

Liquid descending – tears of sorrow

It’s short, fast, ruby tainted droplets

Dripping from the inner rings of my heart

A torn rag

Smears a mural of our entire relationship,

Glimpse

But now you’ve departed –

And I, struggling to progress

Remain day to day

Cleaning blood stained tears off wooden floors

To the Night

I look to the horizon

The east side of us

Eyes drift a part to the west end of love.

Dusk comes forth

As we leave dawn behind.

The edge of earth sits still,

To rest easy.

An orange glaze and purple haze ahead

Prepare for night fall

Bring shades over our eyes.

So we can dance – 

Yes, dance! Dance into the night!

With tears of the moon burning in our heart

Move together to the beat of screaming winds

Howl through the eve 

Like a white wolf on a lonesome night.

Breathe deep my beloved

Breathe for me,

Behold the cold glaze of your lips.

Exercise our right to love

And dance, never stop, dance!

Until we fall to the ground

Dance ‘til the rooster calls upon the sun

And love remains –

By your side.