chrismikesell

Once, I thought long, far too long, too hardupon possibilities, potentialities, predicaments—a weighing of costs, benefits, catastrophes,time lost, opportunities gained. Things, theyseldom appeared as conjectured, and I livedperpetually in (un)certain fear, until, happily(in retrospect), everything collapsed—       the castle burned       the slipper shattered       the dragon devoured          its tail       the wicked witch went          west       the knight dismounted,       set his horse running free—and eversince, I’ve lived …

Fairy Tale Ending Read More »

“The most fitting subject for poetry,”Poe said,“Would be the death of a beautifulWoman.”And it isn’t that he was incorrect—The deathsOf beautiful women have inspired count-Less men:        Ἰφιγένεια       Beatrice       Caroline Beaufort       The Radiant Maiden              (whom the angels name              Lenore)       Mina Harker       Curley’s Wife       Bambi’s Mom       Norma Bates       Gwen Stacy       Beloved       Alexandra DeWitt       Lily Potter       Jenny Calendar       Trudy Monk And women whose murders, rapes, traffickings,TakingsProduce protests, marches, and poetryLike this. But did …

Refrigeration Read More »

A midnight shimmer,the full moon’s shine lake-side brings the alderwoodvalley to false dawn. A fish—unclear whatfrom a distance—leapsfrom the water,a suffocating quarter second, trusting to (let’s say) a trout’sarcane faith in gravity’slogistical power,buoyancy be damned. Piercing the surface again,an intimation of (re)birth,as clouds wash over the moon,returning the valley to sleep. © 2023, 2024; first …

Baptism by Night Read More »

If on a winter’s night a traveller —Calvino She heard me say“Queen of Denial,”but I meant the other one.1I had tried like a Penzancian pirate2or enfogged, noir, Chandlerian3to insert myself asa credible suitorfor naught; my whisper,apparently, a mumble. Sine dubio,4 as Cicerowould have averred5yet erred,Los Corazones,6 mine and hers,should someday be entwined. Perhaps this wasan …

Annotation Read More »

what is a butterfly?the thing itself,and all that it symbolizes,and its appearance in context:spring to summer to fall. dissected into its parts and pieces,fragmentations—the once beautifulbecomes nullified and obscene,the pastime of bullies and fools. a Sylphina Angel on a pinis good, at least, to studystructure, coloration, and form.but it loses all of the graceand much …

butterfly, a poem Read More »