GAS Featured Poet: Dan Provost

 

Dan Provost’s poetry has been published throughout the small press for a number of years.  He is the author of fourteen books/chapbooks, including in 2021: Darting In and Out, published by Alien Buddha Press, A Fistful of Ponies released by Raw Earth Ink Press, and Foundations of Cheap Penance, published by Dead Mans Inc.  He is a three-time nominee for the Best of the Web and has read his works across the United States.  He lives in Berlin, New Hampshire with his wife Laura and dog Bella.

Head Held Low

 

From your first step

at age 32

 

You’ve held so much anger in

for the gods, and

dreamt of bigger heavens.

 

Halls of hallowed.

 

But back you went to

the char, to the pain of

stick figure arms and legs.

 

And shadows still bend

at angles of swollen

screams.

 Daily Records

 

Dutifully, I walk

up to the third floor.

Ignoring the dog, the trash

 

that has accumulated during

this depressive episode.

 

Look up cures on the internet,

 

Boldy, call myself an idiot

for even trying to

find hope.

 

Chastise existence—one

sigh at a time.

 

Then work the keyboards,

trying to express magic

in the dark

in the dank

shining asylum.