John Sibley Williams

Three Loons Perched

Three loons perched 
upon the solid water.
The strange silence of turtles,
their drifting branches,
twilight.
What nerve it takes
to draw myself 
comparison
just because at times
we are all hideous
but somehow radiant,
always
with
or without
light.
Oh how I love you
because
and
despite.










I tend to leave splinters embedded in my skin

I tend to leave splinters embedded in my skin,
allow them swell red with meaning
then dry out and flatten back into me
until they are as much me
as the secrets I only share
with grasshoppers.




John Sibley Williams is a poet and book publicist residing in Portland, OR. He serves as Acquisitions Manager of Ooligan Press and publicist for Three Muses Press. His poetry was nominated for the 2009 Pushcart Prize, and his debut chapbook, A Pure River, was just released. Some of his over 100 previous or upcoming publications include: The Evansville Review, Ellipsis, and Flint Hills Review.