No sooner had I emerged,
pulled out by my ankles,
born bedraggled with gunk,
than did my mother
dub me her ‘little deserter’.
As a child, I learned to walk and
thereby, learned to walk away.
I recognized as a young man
that a loyalty to leaving meant
having a no loyalty at all;
I left lovers and family alike
remorselessly— without a word.
They attribute my flaw of leaving
to being born feet first.
Matthew Drew Williams is a poet residing in Western New York. He is currently working to obtain his master’s degree in social work at Roberts Wesleyan College. His poetry has appeared in a number of publications; the most recent of which include DIALOGIST, The Fat City Review and Banango Street. He also has poems forthcoming in Decades Review and Eunoia Review.
–Art by Diana Cretu
Best Nike Sneakers | New Balance 247 “Castlerock” Buy Now , SneakerNews.com