I Know the Look

for John

One arm is casually resting off the edge
of the green Saturn’s window,

shrapnel of a half-burned cigarette
raping her lungs while her shaved head

is attuning to the beat
of Don’t Fear the Reaper.

The driver is leaning over
at the intersection, preparing
to split oncoming traffic,
sharing what appear to be

the recently discovered secrets
of the universe
while, listening

she trades the daytime calm behind her eyes
for a volcano’s fire spitting its challenge
as far into evening as possible—

staring down oblivion
with a matador’s unwavering smile.

Brandon C. Spalletta’s poetry has been published in Dodging The Rain, Panoply, Elysium Review, Maryland Literary Review, WWPH Writes, and The Mid-Atlantic Review (formerly Bourgeon). New poetry is forthcoming in Gargoyle Online, and his poem “Daydreaming” received an Honorable Mention for Day Eight’s 2023 Luce Prize. At twelve years old he stood atop Old Rag Mountain in Virginia and his heart never left.