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 .