Two poems by Jason Heroux
A STRANGE TIME
When my birds went away
I kept stones in cages
gave them names
painted them
beautiful colors
and taught them
to sleep at night
it was a strange time
but no one complained
When my birds
came back
my stones refused
to be stones again
I painted the birds grey
removed their wings
and threw them at the windows
of abandoned buildings
I kicked them along
the road just for fun
====================
HOSPITAL OF AUTUMN HOURS
In the hospital of autumn hours
we visit a fallen leaf,
a glass of water visits us.
A small grey sound
scurries between walls.
Our shadows egg us on.
The trees resemble pharmacies
stocked with expired medicine.
Now and then the wind stops breathing.
Now and then we wonder who will water
the water to keep it from drying out. You,
spray your graffiti in our rundown hearts.
Editor's note: Strange Times and Hospital of Autumn Hours were previously published in Natural Capital.
Author bits:
Jason Heroux is the author of three poetry collections, Memoirs of an Alias (2004), Emergency Hallelujah (2008) and Natural Capital (2012) all published by Mansfield Press, and a novella titled Good Evening, Central Laundromat (Quattro Books, 2010) which was shortlisted for the 2011 Relit Novel Award. His work has appeared in chapbooks, anthologies and magazines in Canada, the US, Belgium, France, and Italy. He lives in Kingston, Ontario. Watch his movie at YouTube .
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