Are You Single?
by John O’Brien
In the sounds of silence, urgency cries
on deaf ears crescendos crash
tendrils of your perfume scratch my heart
drawing blood, a bloody draw.
alone in a crowded room
divorced halves the test pool
and the band played on
deaf brings peace
… and the loneliness
of the never asked to be
a confirmed bachelor
I got to see the just released new DVD of ANUNA, shot at Trinity Lutheran Church in Cleveland last January. The group was known as being the original band for Riverdance, but have moved way beyond that now. They are in the midst of a 41 city US tour, including stops in Cleveland, Cinci, Columbus, […]
My Patterns:
by John O’Brien, Jr.
My patterns, my soul
like my Grandfather before me?
I don’t know those paternal and maternal roots of my tree
each was snuffed by the deadly, unaimed wheel
A missile guided by booze
cutoff in mid-bloom
I am my father
and my mother.
The never met expectations and negativity
the laughter and openness
spirituality and generosity binding all
My father never took […]
Tommy Makem passed away one month ago today. I really had a hard time meeting the requests for comments and perspective about him, in the days that followed. How do you do justice to someone of that caliber, that character, in a few lines? I talked of his impact, his […]