James W. Wood: a poem

About a Span

To Daniel, Emily and Edmund

The year of our Lord

Of the Flies. The year of Waiting

For Godot. That time when Ike

(Turner not Dwight)

launched his Rocket

Eighty-Eight, ushering in

seven decades of deca-

dance. Stalin dies. From

Coronation to Corona-nation,

what became of the

world between The Day

The Earth Stood Still

and when it self-isolated

in this season? 

Was there a fall?

Chaos oozing like oil

from solid ground? 

We are a torment

of ones and zeros,

money trumping reason, 

tremulous tongues 

and hearts all left behind,

gasping at straws.

James W. Wood's poems, articles and short stories have appeared in many literary journals and newspapers, including The TLS, The Poetry Review, The National Post (Canada), and Critical Quarterly. The author of six books of poetry and a pseudonymous thriller, he has been shortlisted or nominated for eight literary awards and was the 2018 recipient of the British Columbia Writer's Award in Canada. You can find him here: www.der-jimmelwriter.com