Pg. 52
Poetry by John Grey
Lift-off
At seven a. m., the young astronaut,
waits nervously, excitedly,
strapped inside a rocket ship,
as a loud voice, somewhere in the universe,
counts down from 10.
While zero means boil the water,
flush the toilet, shave the chin,
up and down the east coast,
the capsule, the man,
shake from an engine rumble
of city-flattening earthquake decibels.
Despite an ear-drum shattering takeoff,
the noiseless yawn, the nose
wiped on a tissue, the indifferent
cheek kiss, are heard more frequently.
John Grey
John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in Sheepshead Review, Poetry Salzburg Review and Hollins Critic. Latest books, Leaves On Pages, Memory Outside The Head and Guest Of Myself are available through Amazon. Work upcoming in Ellipsis, Blueline and International Poetry Review.