~ Delta Poetry Review ~

James Croal Jackson

The End

              After Matt Hart

seems like a good time to say

I spent months feeling helpless

looking forward

to this indeterminate light

we’ve been dreaming about

this industry

affects people

like a natural disaster

rolling through our days

until The End

rejuvenates us

makes us hungry

for The Beginning

a road trip a flight

a movie night haven’t

had one of those

in a while    a cold

drink to jolt me

alive     alive

until the dead

extend a hand

to bring me back

and I reach

for it too

James Croal Jackson works in film production. His most recent chapbooks are Count Seeds With Me (Ethel Zine & Micro-Press, 2022) and Our Past Leaves (Kelsay Books, 2021). Recent poems are in Stirring, SAND, and Vilas Avenue. He edits The Mantle Poetry from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (jamescroaljackson.com)