Wheel
How I loved saying I was deeply skeptical of the adverb, very
but then I got run over by a truck.
Now I am Earl from Detroit, no more time behind the dais
and every day reminds me of Day.
I’m sorry, but I think you’ve reached the right number.
I’m here in the wheel’s heart
hosing water on vegetables
and bugs on vegetables
no matter if no decent thing sings on the vine
or the neighbors too loud, the sun too hot,
no matter no medals in a sock drawer
or eyes on a road
just rusty scent of life hectoring
for nourishment, loins tender for company
and every spoke of nerve in on it
is where I guess I’m going with this.
Micheal Martin is a writer, editor and film-maker living in North Carolina. His first collection of poetry, Extended Remark was published by Portals Press in 2015. For many years his poetry, feature-journalism and fiction have appeared in U.S. and European publications. Poems from his new poetry manuscript first appeared in literary journals such as American Journal of Poetry, Poetry Ireland, New Orleans Review, RHINO & Salamander, among many others. In 2021 he collaborated with the Irish film production company, Morgan Creative to produce and direct two poetry-films of his work which continue to be officially selected and awarded in international film festival competitions such as the most recent, Buenos Aires International Film Festival. For a decade Martin lived in Amsterdam where he was a feature writer with Amsterdam Weekly; in 2010 he edited the Harper’s anthology, Rules of the Game: The Best Sports Writing from Harper’s Magazine.