By: Dr. Ernest Williamson

smile for me.
upside down
lift the curtains in your eyes;
the sky’s acrid tears are reminding me of troubled
hours;
salt in my wounds, disfigured eyes ogling
on the parched ground in Saigon.
do it slower!
insert your care for my request
with a stuttering dance!
not only of your slender body
but of your merciful words!
love me now sung backwards!
cigarettes ain’t even you
and weed don’t heal for long
yep, not for long.

*****

Dr. Williamson has published creative work in over 550 journals. His poetry has appeared in journals such as The Oklahoma Review and Review Americana. His artwork has appeared in journals such as The Tulane Review and The Columbia Review. He is an Assistant Professor of English at Allen University and his poetry has been nominated for the Best of the Net Anthology three times.