Feature Poet: Michael E. Duckwall
Hello! Today’s wonderful feature is Michael E. Duckwall, an incredibly talented poet and artist. Michael has been featured here before, and also runs his own open mic night in Scottsburg IN, the last Saturday of each month and I highly encourage you, if you’re in the area and can go, do. I’m thrilled to have him back on the site, today he’s sharing three pieces of art, and three poems, separate from one another so I will post them in separated sections.
The Art
The Poetry
The Wrong Direction..
I'll walk through heaven, as I’ve walked through this hell.
Head down, always down. My feet, the ground, a sight
I know all too well. Clouds, fire, it's all the same trail
I can't follow. Breadcrumbs, eaten by crows.
They caw, telling me I'm going the wrong direction.
I listen, take a left. All that's left, to the right, is nothing.
Nothing's ever felt right on this side of eternity.
We've used up everything, kept asking for more.
Always sure of another day, behind open eyes we sleep.
Crows cawing in my dreams. I walk through this hell
as I'll walk through heaven. Waiting on those
who've waited on me. Head down, always down.
Wandering through this nothingness. Sleeping, dreaming
cawing. Listen, take a left, none of this feels right anymore.
To the Light..
It's dark out
I see no shadows
But silhouettes
Are framed upon walls
Fragmented chaos
Imprinted in my mind
Kindergarten books
A,B,C's
I flip through
Backwards, forwards
All paths lead to center
Within being
The energy of a soul
Not body mechanical
It's dark out
Daylight seems to be
A mirage, a lie
Nighttime feels eternal
So, I claw my way
To the light inside
The Horror of Us..
I scrutinize modern society
All of its winds
Blowing to and fro
The directions
Change on a whim
While the Earth stands still
As if waiting for our fall
So she can be loose again
From the infestation that we are
We're crawling fleas
We devour her meat
Maggots on flesh
A clout of lightning
Abraded by hurricanes
Yet she can't shake
The horror of us
In quietude she waits
For the day
We end ourselves
Our gluttonous ways
Predestined from inception
Into the abode of the dead
Riding in a handbasket
Known as our skin
Until the soil
Is rid of our feedings
And the Earth is at liberty
To move once again
Michael E. Duckwall was born and raised in the Ohio Valley. A featured poet at the 10th Gonzofest in 2023, he took off and hit the ground running as part of the production team for a 57hr non-stop “Insomniacathon” music and poetry event in Louisville KY 2024. Michael’s poetry, artwork and photography have been in a handful of magazines and anthologies, along with numerous online features. He has a couple of chapbooks “Ramblings of a Recovering Poet” & “7.2 SkullQuake” in publication, one limited edition co-authored chapbook “Kraken Nuts” (w/ Chad M. Horn) you may have missed out on.
