Two Pieces By James Babbs

I Haven’t Gone Very Far

I grew up in a house
about three blocks from here
on the west end of main street
across from the grocery store
but the store closed
it was years ago
it’s only an empty building now
my parents are dead
and so’s my brother
he was eleven years older than me
I have an uncle still here
my father’s brother
but my three sisters got married young
and none of them have lived here for years
but I still live in the same town
I guess
I haven’t gone very far
I’ve written some poems
I’ve made a couple of books
I’ve sat around
and drank a lot of beer
I fell in love
but it didn’t work out
and now
I see a lot of people
I don’t recognize
but I pay my taxes
I keep my own yard clean
sometimes
I like to sit outside
watching the people drive past
some of them smile
and they wave at me
and I always try to wave back


Sometimes In the Dead of Night

sometimes
in the dead of night
something stirs
from its prolonged sleep
slowly at first
then gaining strength
until it’s bursting
pushing its way
from the inside
wanting to break free and
you don’t have a name for it
you just open up your eyes
lying there
feeling your heart beat and
listening to the sound
your own breathing makes
filling up the room


About James Babbs:
James Babbs has published hundreds of poems over the last several years in print journals and online.  Recent poems have appeared or are forthcoming at Camel Saloon, Dead Snakes and Horror.Sleaze.Trash..  His new full-length collection, Disturbing the Light, is coming soon from Interior Noise Press.