The JRB presents five poems by Daniel Moss.

Who Wants.

To Go On.

A Drive?

I Would.

For a While.

Wake Up Super.

Early.

With Some Coffee

Still.

Time for a Dart.

Dreams. Of Africa.

Man.

Baby.

Nearly Twenty,

Years.

Ago.

I took A Gander.

Cairo.

Had To Skip Over.

The Sudan.

But Ethiopia.

Was There.

Fall In Love.

Walking,

Down,

The Street.

And To Be.

An American,

Black.

‘Hey! How’s 50 doing?’

He’s Pushing.

Weight,

Baby.

I’ll Let Him.

Know You Got His Back.

I Mean.

Selective.

Conversations.

Take Place.

All Over The Globe.

There was also the most abject poverty.

I have seen.

In my life.

Like a sociology course cut Like A Line.

And Snorted.

To High Heaven.

Consequences.

Always.

Very Interesting.

They Soul

You.

Make You 

Look.

Into What.

You Have. 

Been.

But That’s

What’s So.

And There.

You Are.

Whole.

And Apart.

The Next.

Word.

The Only

One.

That Ever, 

Mattered.

Hear Something,

In the Forest.

Of Being,

There.

Where You Belong.

With.

Me.

All poems © Daniel Moss, 2024

• Daniel Moss is a writer and painter based in the Metro Boston (MA, USA) Area. He works at a mental health centre helping his clients contend with and manage substance use. He is a graduate of Yale (BA English) and Lesley (MFA Creative Writing) universities. His high hope for humanity is reflected in his high hopes for his poetic engagement of life. For other creative moments, follow him on Facebook.