"Brevity" & "Self-portrait as a Dead Gray Squirrel" by Jess Levens

Brevity

Capsized pyramid, shake the details down.

Distilled to facts and nothing more,

briefly smudged across the page;

dissect in parts by four.

Introduction—born, and bridge—we grow.

Body—fail and try to mend.

Conclusion—ties us back to naught;

Full stop. We’ve reached the end.

Self-portrait as a Dead Gray Squirrel

The car in front didn’t even swerve or

attempt to miss the fat, gray ground-rocket.

Oblivious, the blue station wagon

kicked up a heap of fur and bushy tail.

Am I the squirrel? Are my words the nut

worth dying for? Is Time the car? Is Life?

Is it the World, or is it you? My mouth

is full—I’m ready to be pressed to death.

Jess Levens lives with his wife, sons and dogs in New England, where he draws inspiration from the region’s landscapes and history. His poetry has been published in Fevers of the Mind, The Dillydoun Review and Prometheus Dreaming, among other literary journals. Jess is a Marine Corps veteran and Northeastern University alum. Follow him on Twitter @levensworks.