john sweet

John Sweet sends greetings from the rural wastelands of upstate NY. He is a firm believer in writing as catharsis, and in compassionate nihilism. His poetry collections include NO ONE STARVES IN A NATION OF CORPSES (2020 Analog Submission Press) and NOT EVERYTHING IS ABOUT YOU (2024 Apathy Press Poets).

an honest man confesses


is and isn’t in the
pale yellow light of early morning
while she licks the frost from his eyes
no ghosts,

no sleeping children,
no sound of softly closing doors

back yard shadowed and seen from
a 2nd story window, bones trapped in mud,
october flowers held tight in shades of
grey and brown and she calls it
love but she’s bleeding


he says nothing
and means it


this is the wisdom of his father
laid bare

other wars, deeper oceans


like the giant hands of god
come to beat you to death


like bitter memories of
ex-lovers


nothing for you here but
shadows
and all of the things that get lost in them


nothing but wakoski’s darkness


dreams of moving east to west,
of chasing warmth or
someone else’s idea of peace


cold sunlight on the river
three days after this season’s jumper


leaves a child behind and
a pregnant girlfriend


looks back at them watching from
the car as he steps over
the railing


takes his place in
the nation of cowards