Photography © Glenn Bowie

 

Another Thought I Must Not Have

I have never held a gun
that’s primed and loaded,
one that I could use
on the neighbours, myself
or on you.
I imagine the slow weight
as I lift it from the table,
the metal, the squeeze.

It isn’t hard to see the sex in guns
but I cannot say that out loud,
like all the other things
I must pretend I do not think.
Every week I add another
to the list; you should see
how many times your name
appears in all the marginalia.

 

Neil Elder: I live in London and am endlessly fascinated by the gap between what we think we know about each other (and ourselves) and what we really know – that goes some way to explain who I am – beyond teacher of English and farther of two.

Glenn Bowie is a published poet, lyricist and photographer from the Boston area. He also owns and operates an elevator company that supplies custom-built elevators for clients from New England to Hollywood. Author of two poetry and photograph collections (Under the Weight of Whispers and Into the Thorns and Honey) on Big Table Publishing, he donates all profits from his books to various charities for the homeless and local animal shelters.