Michael Schmeltzer
Michael Schmeltzer was born in Japan and eventually moved to the US. His most current book (co-authored with Meghan McClure) is “A Single Throat Opens,” a collective memoir and lyric exploration of addiction. His full-length poetry debut “Blood Song” was a Washington State Book Award Finalist in Poetry. His writing has been published in various journals such as Black Warrior Review,Water~Stone Review, and Split Lip Magazine, among others. Schmeltzer serves as President of Floating Bridge Press and is the co-founder of One Great Things, a micro-length, macro-lensed review site.
A Sharpness of Axes
I am soft. What of it? Like a blanket
that leaves the toes uncovered
I am what you might
consider not enough.
What weapon can be made of me?
I once was used to smother
a fire
but only a wick-sized one.
Oh sure, I have blazing ambitions.
I have the need to be on bodies
and useful. Better yet,
find me folded
on top of a stack of blankets.
I am tired
of people lately,
their mouths like two-way mirrors
and nothing of what they say
visible. Did you hear
the one about the tree
that walked steadfast into
a sharpness of axes?
This isn’t a joke
but before chopping it down
the blades
they all laughed.