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All the Nothing

by Michael Channing

All the Nothing from If These Walls Could Hit Back by Michael Channing

a half moon rises
on a cloudless night
you take the dark half
i’ll take the light
all the nothing we say
never comes out right

the laughter of children
rolls downhill
we tighten our grip
try to hold still
till the echoes can fade
and the spaces can fill

we were both praying for rain
to fall down
one to cleanse
and one to drown

the fire trucks are silent
the grass is soft
we hold our breath
as the rockets take off
all the nothing we own
bought at a cost

explosions decay
the fireworks die
the grand finale
still etched on our eyes
and fragments of paper
flutter from the sky

we were both praying for rain
to fall down
one to cleanse
and one to drown

A Long, Cold Burn


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Chokes and Warbles
Now Available

Chokes and Warbles, a collection of essays and poems by Michael Channing

October 15, 2021