Dispatched from dusk, an iridescent stubble
breaks over everything and lacquers the lawn,
and each inch of terrain becomes a mangle
of brunette sheen. Sodden acres are now
blanketed beneath a chattering with numbers
too vast for counting. In precipitous precision,
they rise, like a head-wind suddenly made
visible, quickly extinguishing any creases
of light as each bird binds itself to the whole,
keeping tightly to form as if something
foreign and intent on anarchy might displace
it and lead the murmuration astray, none
daring to pull opposite of their dark destiny
and fretful portage between earth and heaven.
A resident of Connecticut, John is a graduate of Trinity College, Wesleyan University and the University of Connecticut. In the Lilac Hour, his first volume of poems, was published in 2020 by Antrim House, and it is available on Amazon. His poems have been published, or are forthcoming, in journals including Euphony, Moria, Penumbra, River Heron, Sheepshead, Third Wednesday, Amethyst Review, High Window, Poetica Review and the French Literary Review. John is also a two-time 2021 Pushcart Prize nominee.
Yorkshirewoman Louise Wilford is an English teacher and examiner. She has had around 50 poems and short stories published in magazines including Popshot, Pushing Out The Boat and Agenda, and has won or been shortlisted for several competitions. She is currently writing a children’s fantasy novel.
Bronya Evans is a 17-year-old aspiring poet and author currently living in Wales. At the present she is studying English Literature and hopes to continue this in the future. Some of her many inspirations include Sylvia Plath, Rupi Kaur, Savannah Brown and Lang Leav.
Foxglove Journal 