12/9/11

Words are All I Have
By Jason Sturner


Words I'm frightened to say
dangle off deep breaths
and gentle voice.

I listen to every syllable I speak to you,
making sure no bad judgment in word
or accent escapes.

And they fumble from my thoughts
as the thoughts rumble:

I want you back
I can be different
better
this time

Why I think my carefully selected
phrases might persuade you I don't know.

But if to get you back were possible
with my arrangement of speech,

Then I wish to be king of words,
or poet of my time.


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Jason Sturner was born and raised in the western suburbs of Chicago, where he has worked as an elevator operator, rock n’ roll drummer, graphic designer, naturalist, and botanist. He has published four books of poetry and currently lives in Knoxville, Tennessee.