Joseph Farley

Lifeboat Theory

You can't save everything.
If you try you become a hoarder,
A strange soul lost in mounds of trash.

You can't save everyone either.
There is only so much you can do.
There are only so many rescue trips
You can make with your car
Between safety and the disaster scene
Before you run out of gas
Or run out of car.

You can't save everyone.
There are not enough dinghies
On the cruise ship
To contain all the tourists.
There are only so many
Needed to row.

You can't save everyone.
This does not mean
You should stop trying.
Pour yourself into the effort
Hoping you are wrong.

 

Joseph Farley edited a lot of zines in the now distant past, most notably the Axe Factory Review and Cynic Book Reviews.  He is the author of three short story collections: Nightmares and Hiccups (Alien Buddha), Farts and Daydreams (Dumpster Fire), and For The Birds (Cynic). He has written a novel, Labor Day (Peasantry), and penned 14 chapbooks and books of poetry including Hard Times For The Circus Clown (Impspired), Written In The Sand (Alien Buddha), Yellow Brick Pilgrim (Alien Buddha) and Longing For The Mother Tongue (Marsh).  He has had over 1400 poems and 160 stories published to date. His work has appeared recently in Impspired, Bindweed, Schlock, Mad Swirl, US 1 Worksheets, Big Windows, Horror Sleaze Trash, Rusty Truck and other places.