Of Hymns and Hums

They seeded the skies
with prayers of smoke
and chimera poisons

I’ll breathe if you will
gasp between notes
of shadow and shade

Good morning, soft smile
great consequence
in the space
where anger and love
both swallow the tail
we’ve been chasing

Zero-point graduation
hallelujah-induced hallucinations

They seeded the skies
with prayers of smoke
and chimera poisons

Magnetic tongues
wet

spark
Electric hymns

Messy with the way
we hum
our promises

but well-tuned
to the bed
of salvation

Lots of Luck

Keep chasing that wish
back to soil

Eternal optimism
with a subtle note
of sorrow

Obsession with smiling
while fans spin chaotic

Leaves flung
to the far side
of autumn

Keep chasing that wish
back to soil

(here is a kiss for all of your fault lines
here is a bite for your perfect mistakes)

Dance on cue in heavy traffic to grungy cuts
bless me with courage in the silence between crashes

I would beg
for one more
synchronistic flash
of assurance
to escape
from the groaning sky

or a sign
that gods are laughing
heartily
behind the scenes
with each
toss of the dice

About the Author

Scott Thomas Outlar

Scott Thomas Outlar lives and writes in the suburbs outside of Atlanta, Georgia. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. He guest-edited the 2019 and 2020 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag. Selections of his poetry have been translated into Afrikaans, Albanian, Bengali, Dutch, French, Italian, Kurdish, Persian, Serbian, and Spanish. His sixth book, Of Sand and Sugar, was released in 2019. His podcast, Songs of Selah, airs weekly on 17Numa Radio and features interviews with contemporary poets, artists, musicians, and health advocates. More about Outlar’s work can be found at 17Numa.com.

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