American Linden
Summertime in a city park, The basswood above me, Like Rimbaud's linden trees, Invite heartache, Against the bark, Under starry skies, After the bar, Pining, For his low voice, Just above the breeze, Before, Limbs intertwine, With whisky breath, In rites of splendor, As ancient as, The forest-fawn, But like Rimbaud, We are not serious, Willow strands slapping, Our upturned faces.
Bio: James Schwartz is a poem, slam performer and author of various poetry collections including The Literary Party: Growing Up Gay and Amish in America (Kindle, 2011), Punatic (Writing Knights Press, 2019) & most recently Motor City mix (Alien Buddha Press, 2022)
Fevers of the Mind 