J.J. Campbell

 

in the country i was born in

i can see the
writing on
the wall

this world is
pricing me out
of any chance
of living here

and i have no
desire to be a
refugee in the
country i was
born in

hello central
america

hola

¿como te llamas?

me llamo santiago

¿donde esta el baño
por favor?

nostalgia is a sugar pill

losing faith in
humanity is
natural

it was explained
to me that all us
smart fucks
can see through
the mirages of
society and the
cynical nature
of the human
mind takes over

it was never explained
what happens if you
didn’t want to lose
faith

never explained how
to find what is lost

it’s all forward

never look behind

nostalgia is a
sugar pill

it does nothing good

it’s around this time
i realize i’m simply
holding on to a dream

an imagined talent

and the bleak nature
of loneliness is destiny

not just a moment
in time

a bottle of jack with my name on it

it’s the constant reminder
that you’re older than
everyone else in the
room

and i’m not one of those
assholes that tries to fit
in or pretend i give a shit
about what the current
generation thinks of me

i’m fine at the bar

alone

a bottle of jack with
my name on it

they can have their
social networks and
fake friendships

this bottle is the truth

the only soul that cared
enough to pick me up
after a shitty day

loyalty is a lost art
these days

 

J.J. Campbell (1976 - ?) was raised by wolves yet still managed to graduate high school with honors. He's been widely published over the years, most recently at Synchronized Chaos, Under the Bleachers, The Beatnik Cowboy, Dodging the Rain and Mad Swirl. His most recent chapbook, the taste of blood on christmas morning was published by Analog Submission Press. You can find him most days waxing poetic on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights. (http://evildelights.blogspot,com)