APRIL 25
John Mackley
JEWEL
a glint of rainbow sparkle
catches the eye
as she enters the room
out of place, hanging down
‘round a dusty soot-covered neck
clad in workman blue
a face tired and dejected
she would sooner
be anywhere else
the sky outside indigo blue
bedazzled with stars
she trudges wordless to her truck
tools tossed in the back
it could just as easily have been
a ditch or a dumpster, for all she cares
up and in, behind the wheel
heading out, down the dark lonely road
headlights a reluctant afterthought
sagebrush-covered hills
silhouetted against the bleak sky
accompanying her long ride
mindless
heavy metal
propping open her eyes
a solitary run-down
trailer in a glen
“home sweet home”
the tiny, jewelled necklace
hung carefully on the bedpost
with a singular tear
John Mackley lives, loves, laughs, and writes in the Eastern Townships.
All through the month of April, we’re sharing a poem a day, celebrating the vibrant voices of our local poets writing in English. This initiative is coordinated by Angela Leuck, publisher of Shoreline Press.
Join us as we explore the creativity and stories of our community, one poem at a time.