an online literary magazine for extra pungent poetry and prose

silas denver melvin

birdsong & somewhere

birdsong & somewhere
along the wall,
above the break
of the ocean,
the revving of many
modified cars.
the chirp of a siren.
someone laughing
with a mouthful
of fried dough.
a camera raised to the eye,
the eye blinking back light, the fullness of the horizon
pierced by a watertower, a church
you will never worship at.
birdsong & somewhere
a terrible secret. a shower
stepped out of, a phone gone into tantrum
on the bedside. sick
with worry in your weary heart.
outside the window, children
in their mucking boots.
a hiccup
of purple finches.
her mouth turned down
when she asks,
& what were you going to say?


silas denver melvin (he/him) is a transsexual poet from New Hampshire and the author of Grit (2020, Sunday Mornings at the River Press). He has been published or is forthcoming with Hominum Journal, Doghouse Press, Bullshit Lit, Antler Velvet, Bleating Thing, and elsewhere. silas currently serves as the head editor of poetry for Beaver Magazine. He can be found on Twitter + Tumblr @sweatermuppet & on Instagram @sweatermuppets.