DANIEL ROSS - POEMS

Daniel Ross was born in Vancouver, British Columbia and currently lives on Vancouver Island. He posts on Instagram as @dcsross and his website is www.dcsross.com.

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​                                    Parc and Sherbrooke
 
The deadened go
up the hill, and
through the snow
over bootprints,
so they can know
where the tombs are.
 
White hills and sweaty hands,
leather gloves and wedding bands,
well met with steady toes
the deadened go.
 
Black jackets with fur hoods
scream loud a steady "no"
in the direction
where the tombs are.
 
Sit on heels
waiting patient
stopping snow.
 
The rancid hearts of all
flatline
where the tombs are.
 

​                                            perfume
 
Ultimately
we were doomed, gone,
in awe, trembling
like the trees that drooped
above the pavement.
 
Faded charcoal snow
dripping from the gutters.
Leaning sidewalks
like an old mistrust,
and the road
shifting underfoot.
Your perfume smelled
                        like lies.
 
 

                                         bad luck
 

​
Is her picture of vanity
Narcissus?
Everyone wanted
a pound of flesh.
 
The stream to look in.
Her
hypnotized by the flow.
Her
loving the reflection,
or imagining drowning?
 
Her bathtub
is deep enough
to end it.
 
She was the type of girl
who would rather
gouge out her eyes
than break a miror
 
Blindness can be overcome,
but,
Bad luck is bad luck.