A Poem by henry 7. reneau, jr.

psalmandala

these acts of water
flowing from where we come &
who we are & what we do
painting expletive syllables of subliminal graffiti
resonating the same signature
as the maddening shroud

of recollection
photo-shop edited by the recursive bravado
of ego
coloring loose narratives of the soul
that tumbleweed mechanically
crow-cawing a gravel-throat blues wail
what becomes within
an elastic heart of cindered empathy

like a lipstick letter scrawled across a vacant motel mirror
sifted through the sediment of childhood nostalgia
become
wood

become bone
& panoramic heart
washing through ten thousand forms of fear
cover the sky
with carrion crows
where nothing beautiful is perfect unless it is destroyed

henry 7. reneau, jr. writes words in fire to wake the world ablaze:  free verse illuminated by courage that empathized with all the awful moments, launching a freight train warning that blazes from the heart, like a chambered bullet exploding inadvertently.  His poetry collection, freedomland blues (Transcendent Zero Press, 2014), was released in September of 2014.  He also has an e-chapbook entitled , physiography of the fittest (Kind of a Hurricane Press, 2014), which was released in December of 2014.  Additionally, he has self-published a chapbook entitled 13hirteen Levels of Resistance, and is currently working on a book of connected short stories.  He is a Pushcart Prize Nominee.