JOHNMICHAEL SIMON POETRY

The art should not contain the artist’s name

for only then we glimpse into his soul
past layers of skin wrinkling in

grimace or grin

past aches, deceptions, affiliations,

past nationality, past health,

past politic, past good deeds or bad

 

Past age, for age deceives

and in every crinkled shell

lies a child

naked to the world

that cries a first cry

peeps a first peep

giggles a first laugh

dips a hand into the muddy paint

and smears it on the page

nameless

to be hung in exhibitions