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 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.