JOHNMICHAEL SIMON POETRY

I count stairs

birds, kerb stones

children on a bus

spectators at a stadium

I count breakers on the beach

seconds, years, minutes

 

The world whirls by

relentless

a missed step

a missing child

a stampede at a soccer match

or at the Hajj

 

One more, one less

 

I count blood

floods, earthquakes

revolutions of the moon

passers by

I count stars

repetitions of amen

the number of begats

 

Compressed into myself

I count teeth, hair

the hours until

my next meal

 

Water leaking from

the wall of my cell

drip, drip, drip

 

Winter comes

water turns to icicles

I count heartbeats