John Dorsey

Easy On The Eyes


there is nothing nice
to look at here
except fried eggs
black coffee
& a picture
of a teenage beauty queen
standing next to a prized hog

both of them
headed to the processing plant
one to pump out babies
like factory widgets
& one to become breakfast meat

both of them smiling
wearing blue ribbons
around their necks
putting on a brave face
for the camera
etched in grease splatter
for all eternity

their expressions
just hanging there
like a noose.

John Dorsey lived for several years in Toledo, Ohio. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw's Prayer (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), Sodomy is a City in New Jersey (American Mettle Books, 2010), Tombstone Factory, (Epic Rites Press, 2013), Appalachian Frankenstein (GTK Press, 2015) Being the Fire (Tangerine Press, 2016) and Shoot the Messenger (Red Flag Poetry, 2017),Your Daughter's Country (Blue Horse Press, 2019), and Which Way to the River: Selected Poems 2016-2020 (OAC Books, 2020). His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and the Stanley Hanks Memorial Poetry Prize. He was the winner of the 2019 Terri Award given out at the Poetry Rendezvous. He may be reached at archerevans@yahoo.com.