John Sibley Williams is a poet and book publicist residing in Portland OR. He has earned an MA in writing and currently studies book publishing at Portland State University where he serves as acquisitions manager of Ooligan Press and publicist for Three Muses Press. His poetry was nominated for the 2009 Pushcart Prize and his debut chapbook, A Pure River, was published in 2010 by The Last Automat Press. His work has been published or is forthcoming at The Evansville Review, RHINO, Rosebud, Ellipsis, Flint Hills Review, Euphony, Open Letters, Cadillac Cicatrix, Juked, Red Wheelbarrow, and River Oak Review. John’s first poem to appear here was Because I Am No Hummingbird, published as part of Contributor Series 9: If Men Had Ears. After you’ve read this poem, listen to John read it.
Vantage Point
By John Sibley Williams
Not a movement forward,
By John Sibley Williams
Not a movement forward,
growth,
or being
one, alone,
of one of many
but in tilting the head
sideways
the slightest degree
that hideous vertigo
of a whole new language.
Lots to think about here. Love the short work. Enjoyed your reading.
Marvelous how this poem makes the reader search within…