Zachary Olson's Blog, page 5
August 18, 2023
sagittarius. — a poem
Photo by 
July 30, 2023
flue the coop. — a poem
it’s in a moment like now
when i see the dust around the chimney
realize my mind climbed up again
scraping ash from brick
in an unplanned escape
finding a corner of the roof
to jump onto the nearest cloud
and raft away to somewhere
not even real not even likely
i pull the string
a gentle reminder
to reel back to what is true
we’ll sweep up later
Photo by davide ragusa on Unsplash[image error]
July 7, 2023
dromedary. — a poem
they told me to be
/be back before dark/
but it’s a full moon tonight
and it’s bright as hell
not going back now
or yet to ever all
when a loophole
thread your needle
with and run entire
Photo by Thomas Griggs on Unsplash[image error]
June 17, 2023
glasnost. — a poem
it rained yesterday
& as the water rung
spiral drip in jacket
hood it pulled back
against my throat
and as i grasped for
air tight i couldn’t
help but notice up
the sky the stars
in patterns behind
sheer clouds spelling
destinations & vast
fields of dustspray
like the inside of any
beautiful person’s eye
where colors play
as shadow creatures
Photo by David East on Unsplash[image error]
May 22, 2023
cigarette. — a poem
home is nothing
but slow time
anywhere can be
the what and how
a moment hanging
on the lips of ever
Photo by Tim Schmidbauer on Unsplash[image error]
May 20, 2023
JAC CORIANDER: INSPECTOR ABROAD — Chapter Four: The Canvas Underground
Casper pulled the vehicle further around the building to a back entrance. They swung the car door open for Jac who stepped out hesitantly, squinting her eyes as the sunset pierced through a row of spiny trees. She reached back for her luggage, but Casper rushed her out and into the building.
“I’ll take your suitcase to your room when it’s time. Don’t worry!”
The two of them shuffled through a set of musky hallways and up a short set of stairs to a very dark landing where they paused. Something hanging nearby brushed against Jac’s arm. The walls are fabric. And dusty as hell. She coughed.
“What are — “
“Here, you’ll need this.” Casper shoved something cold and metallic into Jac’s hand. A knife?? It was too dark, she couldn’t tell.
Something shifted behind the fabric and Jac felt an eerily warm gush of air. A wave of muffled voices poured over and pulled her forward. She instantly understood why it was so warm, lights beamed down from every direction.
She stood blinking, trying to see beyond the glare. Her eyes began to adjust as she looked out over a crowd of what must have been two or three hundred people crammed into an open space. It was maybe a bar, but it was hard to tell. Candles flickered among half empty glasses on scattered standing tables. Upon seeing Jac, the crowd erupted into a crescendo of applause. She heard her name shouted by someone and then another until everyone was jumping up and down yelling her name in unison.
“CORE-E-AN-DER! CORE-E-AN-DER! CORE-E-AN-DER!”
They added a synchronized clap.
This is a fucking nightmare.
A man stepped into a brighter patch of light on the stage next to her, holding out his hand.
“We’re delighted to have you here. Please — take a seat.”
She stumbled as she turned to look behind her. There was a pair of plush chairs angled towards each other.
Glancing down, she saw the microphone already in her hand. Oh no.
“Welcome to the second annual gathering of the Coriander Meanderers.”
[image error]
April 27, 2023
ballad of the wayward squid. — a poem
triangle shadows at fiveoclock
herald the approaching weather
an inevitable fog
a stormfront destiny
wherein our hero/villain
slips in undetected
the presiding lighthouse desolate
and wholly underfunded
Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash[image error]
April 20, 2023
industrial strength self-adhesive. — a poem
correct me if im wrong but
sometimes dont we all feel
feel sad w/no particularity
just nostalgic weight; &
on sundays (i know i said
w/o particulars, but) i feel like
time slurrs to a slow sloww drag
& a concentrated (consecrated?)
wait rests on either shoulder blade
as i look ahead & i look behind &
see circumstances in clear dusk
(porch)light; illuminated shadows
whisper do you have the time?
Photo by Tommy Bond on Unsplash[image error]
