Two Poems by Kevin M. Hibshman

Walking to the Candy Store With Kyle

 

Autumn here.

Dull grey

light fighting it out with heavy

slow-moving clouds.

Clouds winning mostly.

Kyle limping.

Some kid injury.

The kind only kids get.

Youth forgives them completely.

Few folks out.

Nearly a ghost town and that is

how I like it best;

Being a phantom,

Haunting my own head.

These streets talk too fast

about a past I cannot believe I lived.

There are witnesses who choose not to be present

and to remain silent.

The candy store exacerbates my pain.

Decadent youth like a fallen city,

cannot be built again.

I feign a smile, a laugh, knowing all too well this candy would kill me

fast.

 

 

 

Law of the Tribe

 

As I twist my broken neck,

Select one more glance at the frothy past,

a thin layer of film seems to burn off my eyes.

Inarticulate gesticulation ruled back then.

We wore dysfunction like a tribal tattoo.

 

Hearing just now (this time) words no mouth formed.

You stammer idly by freedom's torch flickering in your eyes.

I stammer my attempt at logic.

Put the lightning bolt from my side.

You were so unbelievably awkward as you tried

passing things on to me.

I died rolling sky over sea,

sea over sky.

Drowned in thin air.

It was the law of the tribe.

 

 

 

Kevin M. Hibshman has had poems published in numerous magazines and journals over the past

decade and a half.  In addition, He edits his own poetry newsletter: FEARLESS and has authored thirteen chapbooks of poetry.  The latest, INCESSANT SHINING is currently available from Propaganda Press.  Kevin received a BA in Liberal Arts from Union Institute And University in 2010.