National Poetry Month : Chris Johnson,

Words!

A few days ago,

Josh shared a poem by Frank,

which is a very Josh thing to do,

then he deleted the post,

which is also a very Josh thing to do.

So, now I am flipping
through my copy of Frank’s Selected

because I can’t remember the title,

although the form

of the poem

was quite memorable
and I think I’ll recognize the first line.

This is how it always goes.

You set out looking for one thing

then something else

grasps onto your eyes

and takes your attention away.

Have you ever tried to search
the sky for a constellation

during a meteor shower?

Listen!

If stars are lit

there is someone looking upward

wondering what the starlight is for—

something so miniscule
by our vantage,

we might lose track

of the deafening importance

of even the smallest spark.

Chris Johnson is the Managing Editor for Arc Poetry Magazine. He currently lives in Ottawa, which is located on unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe Nation. @ceeeejohnson