Charles

by JD DeHart

lumbering figure,
a once-friend who could never
quite hold a job.
not for long.
now gone, no longer walking
down the street, looking
for a ride.  no longer
making his jokes, pretending
to be young even though
his temples were graying.
we had not talked in years,
the last communication
vague thoughts of a gathering,
a few reminisces.
a reminder of the inevitable
loss of the list of remembered
names and places.

Prestidigitation

by JD DeHart

The fear of even the strongest
magician is that someone will
look up the sleeve.  It's the same
with the rest of, basic mortals
that we are, roaming around with
no top hats.  Someone, somewhere,
we are sure, will notice the source
of our trick and then threaten to stuff
us into the darkness of our own hat.

Guessing Here

by JD DeHart

A, B, and C are clearly not the option,
but there are a myriad of other options.
The test has all the answers, we are told,
to who we will be and the measure
of our future path.  I wonder which question
outlines whom I will marry, and I wonder
which essay decides my salary?
When possible, I choose All of the Above
because I feel it makes me appear
open and optimistic.

Mount Parable

by JD DeHart

no one bothered to tell
the weary traveler
that the inside of the mountain
was hollow, but he continued
anyway, leading his family
on, past the lagoons that might
have offered solace, past the plenty
and the promises, the grand
vineyards, the voices of gods,
to the intended destination,
now listening to the echo
resonate back to him, too far
to go back now.