the music is trending away from the words

feelings have become untethered,

running amok, deranging thought canals.

you know, white lightning has left the bottle,

the crowd has been whipped into a frenzy,

riders thrown hard at the gates.

but, George Jones’ ghost has miraculously appeared

clear eyed, gentle as a baby’s hand.

will someone I trust please stand up

and rectify the situation,

maybe, leave a dish of bourbon out under the kitchen table

and intoxicate the old stiff’s apparition,

get him to pitch a drunk and sing, “He Stopped Loving Her Today”

which, just might set the world back properly on its axis.

EUGENE GOLDIN is a poet who lives in Port Washington, NY. In a previous life, he was a professor of Counseling and Development at LIU Post. His poetry has been published in various publications, including: Poetry Quarterly, the American Aesthetic and Tipton Poetry Journal.