Two Poems ~ poetry by Anthony George

another existential morning

and aren’t we just prayers
walking into each other
and isn’t the half moon
just the other half
of everything we need
and aren’t we just breathing and blood
words and thoughts
desire and death
and isn’t the sun
our imagination come to life
isn’t it hope and doesn’t it go away
but come back
and isn’t it like this day after day

and when we go to sleep
we don’t have to wake up
do we
and when we search for another
we don’t have to find them
do we
and when we leave
we don’t have to return
do we

and when i say i love you
it doesn’t have to mean a thing
does it
and when you say i love you
it doesn’t have to mean a thing
does it
and when i hold you
it doesn’t mean
either one of us won’t go away
does it

existing

i’ll never be home again

because i never was
nobody has been
but i’ll chase the floating pictures
that i have been places
that i know people
have inflicted and received injuries

because it never mattered
it never has
but i’ll agree
words can turn you
into a monster or savior
turn you from hate to a lover
make you think you can explain
make you seek something
someone to love
make you think you have something to say

because it’s not real
it never was
a perpetual used to be
but we make art we make people
we think there is a present
in the turmoil of our creations

because no one else is there
never has been
the great story we tell ourselves
that there is more than nothing
that we desire so hard we must be real

Anthony George was a member of the poetry scene centered around The Court Tavern in New Brunswick, NJ, in the 1980s. He co-founded and co-edits ARBELLA Magazine with the poets Tom Obrzut and Beth Borrus. His writing and collages have appeared in many small press magazines including Long Shot, Nerve Cowboy, and Big Hammer. He also publishes poetry under the imprint Dread Naught Earth Productions and is the author of dozens of chapbooks. He lives in Brooklyn where he works as an educator in the Public School System.