Abalone luster lost,
Melvin’s pickled herring
sense of humor brought
smiles to faces long and teary,
stimulating downcast eyes
a long time lost in self-denial,
caught between steam punk pacifists
and discord’s cold-hearted purveyors
spout half-truths hidden in hanging apples
led to fractured alliances as sailors
who once navigated fortunes with
kayak agility, now disseminated dissatisfaction
like waterfront dock hands hauling 3-inch
jute hemp rope without complaint,
minds far away, drifting, imagining
calloused palms wrapped around beer mugs,
toasting the prospect of good times in bad,
chuckling at midshipman Melvin’s jokes.
Sterling Warner’s works appeared in many journals and magazines including RAVEN’S PERCH and ANTI-HEROIN CHIC. His collections include EDGES, SERPENT’S TOOTH, FLYTRAPS, CRACKS OF LIGHT, HALCYON DAYS, ABRAXAS, GUNILLA’S GARDEN (2025), and MASQUES: FLASH FICTION & SHORT STORIES. Warner currently writes, hosts open mic readings, and enjoys retirement in Washington.
