Eugene Stevenson

Easy enough to know the rules:
bounce the ball & sweep the jacks.
Easy enough to sit on the porch,
bounce the ball, sweep four jacks,
bounce the ball, sweep four more.

Next time, two tries & the porch
is clean. Try again. Clean sweep
on the first try never comes. Try again.
Lose heart. Think of another game.
On a lawn: imagine life in the clouds.

Think of riding one to the East
with the wind, flying somewhere else,
some other time. Anywhere. Any time.
Start over again. Think of another game.
Never a clean sweep on the first try.

Bio

Eugene Stevenson, son of immigrants, father of expatriates, is author of Heart’s Code (Kelsay Books, 2024) & The Population of Dreams (Finishing Line Press, 2022). His poems have appeared in the Appalachian Journal, Atlanta Review, The Galway Review, Gyroscope Review, The Hudson Review, Slipstream Magazine, among others, & have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He lives in the mountains of western North Carolina, USA. Website: eugenestevenson.com.