Poems by Scott Thomas Outlar

Cradling Whispers

fingers glide gently

slow, smooth

a caress upon keys

that transcend

what music used to mean

before I felt your touch

a sound more symphonic

than any that flows

from the lips of God

I am made holy

in your presence

but I truly become whole

when your song

repeats

so sweet

so soft

in my arms

 

 

Of Tongues and Jesters

 

 

Kill a few dreams

so others can breathe

I’m feeling cool

but in all the wrong ways

Birth, baby, birth

the same old wars on fire

Lick where it’s clean

and spit in the face of blank stare

Kill a few gods

pocket the stones

I’m feeling sold

but it might be a trick of the light

Cough, baby, cough

the ghosts are versed in gasoline

Stab where it’s soft

and dance in these holes we have blessed

 

Narrow

 

 

Life offers but two options

on its menu

You can lament

over what has been lost

in the past

for all your days

& remain

empty

(half full at best)

& forever starving

or you can forge your way

toward the future

& forage for a feast

that will fatten you

with peace & happiness

It’s all ice cream & oranges

& the fine line between

 

 

Scott Thomas Outlar hosts the site 17Numa.com where links to his published poetry, fiction, essays, interviews, reviews, live events, and books can be found. His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. Scott was a recipient of the 2017 Setu Magazine Award for Excellence in the field of literature. His words have been translated into Afrikaans, Albanian, Dutch, Farsi, French, Italian, Kurdish, and Serbian. His radio podcast, Songs of Selah, airs weekly on 17Numa Radio