G Emil Reutter. Photo by Katie Reutter

As Fox Chase gears up for its second annual Poets on the Porch event at Ryerss Museum and Library, six of the seven poets slated to read at the event have shared some of their work with us. You can see them perform other works at Ryerss on Aug. 20 at Ryerss at 1 p.m.

Anticipation
By G Emil Reutter

Morning is quiet, traffic slow,
call of train echoes through
streets.  Praying man kneads
the beads  on the steps to the
church, recites.

Nine miles away an old fighter
lays on a sidewalk, writes
letters with a pen that doesn’t
work.

Out of sync, misfits and missteps
lead to sidewalks and church steps
of crack pipes and flasks.

In tap rooms, clubs, for those
who leave with someone
that gnawing inside.

Darkness of early morning
settles in as the praying man
sits on the steps, boxer drifts
to sleep, neon lights
of night life turn off

First published in Indigo Rising Magazine