Poem of the Week

Lines

The lines continue to flow

Long after they are formed.

They spiral and loop

On

And

On

Without interruption.

As though they are being

Chased by some unknown

Force. A force determined

To control.

How dreadful, you think,

To be chased and scared

On

And

On

By an ambivalent entity that

Forces the lines to run

Eternally--never faltering.

The lines tell me that

It sounds worse than it

Is--those humble lines--

And they’ve got a sort

Of runners high. So don’t

Feel guilt, supply some pity,

As you see the lines going

On

And

On

And

Justin Byrne is an elementary teacher in Middle Tennessee. Justin earned his bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education with dual minors of Music and English from Middle Tennessee State University. Justin’s work can also be seen in Plants & Poetry, multiple books by Poets’ Choice, The Parliament Literary Magazine, multiple books by Wingless Dreamer, The Thing Itself, Shift: A MTSU Write Publication, and Brick Street Poetry. Justin can be found on his website byrnepoetry.com. About this poem Lines he says

My poem “Lines” reflects the potential monotony of life that can encompass one's psyche, as well as some existential dread that joins in that unwelcome party. When I wrote this poem, I was finishing my undergraduate degree and suffering from severe depression. This poem allowed me to express some of my daily struggles.