enlightenment - thomas zimmerman

Red kitchen lights above, Atlantic blue

dusk creeping down outside. A bitter ale

in front of you, your wife scrolls through her phone.

The oven heating for a delicacy 

from the freezer drawer. Dog stares you down:

he wants a snack. Desires and needs, these mammal

drives. You scratch behind your ear and sniff

what’s ready for the compost: orange peels 

curled on the counter, coffee grounds with soggy 

filter, wilted lettuce from last week,

and, someday, you. And now that thud you sometimes

hear. You’re sure a songbird, flying free, 

has hit the window glass. Oh, will it live?

Some days, enlightenment is just like this.

Thomas Zimmerman (he/him) teaches English, directs the Writing Center, and edits The Big Windows Review https://thebigwindowsreview.com/ at Washtenaw Community College, in Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA. His poems have appeared recently in horror senryu journal; iamb: poetry seen and heard; and Red Wolf Editions. His latest book is Dead Man's Quintet (Cyberwit, 2023)

Website: https:/thomaszimmerman.wordpress.com

Instagram: tzman2012

Facebook: Tom.Zimmerman.315

Twitter (X): @bwr_tom