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Aphasia Poem 2

Robert Guzikowski

cultivate vigilance.

as single words lose their coherence

wait for the moment born decisive.

 

slash, chop each, every green

thought, let it all to dry to all dry

kindling, stumps, seasoned words, dormant roots.

 

ignite slashed, felled, tree-words.

sentient combustion burns hot, leaves

nothing but curtains ash, gardens smoke.

 

sow morphemes in the moon’s

fertile clear ǽther rain craters where

seed sounds in earth light can germinate.

 

without words enchanted syllables

elude broken language, broken world.

 

 

Previously published in The Raw Art Review, Summer/Fall 2021

Creators

Robert Guzikowski

Robert Guzikowski

Robert Guzikowski published work in the 1970’s and 80’s in several magazines including Grub Street (Bronx, NY), Letters and Tightrope. He co-edited The Parlor City Review. In the 1990’s, he had encephalitis which caused brain damage. Aphasia was one of the sequelae. He has resumed writing poetry. His poems have been published or are upcoming in Kissing Dynamite, The Raw Art Review, Rogue Agent, Wild Roof Journal and Concision Poetry Journal.

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