Slow it Down

                                                                    somehow.
That's what I keep telling myself. And then
            the sky burls all pink along the horizon,
then purple, then deep blue to black, and
            a nighthawk chases mayflies across
open space, and breath after breath after breath
            just escapes into sky.

"My Father Bought a Generator in 1997 and It Is Still Running" by Oluwanifemi Bakare

Jack B. Bedell is Professor of English and Coordinator of Creative Writing at Southeastern Louisiana University where he also edits Louisiana Literature and directs the Louisiana Literature Press. Jack’s work has appeared in HAD, Heavy Feather, Hawkeye, The Shore, Moist, Psaltery & Lyre, Dirtbag, Some Words and other journals. His work has also been selected for inclusion in Best Microfiction and Best Spiritual Literature. His latest collection is Fight Nights (Blue Horse Press, 2025). He served as Louisiana Poet Laureate 2017-2019.