John Dorsey

John Dorsey lived for several years in Toledo, Ohio. He is the author of several collections of poetry, including Teaching the Dead to Sing: The Outlaw’s Prayer (Rose of Sharon Press, 2006), Sodomy is a City in New Jersey (American Mettle Books, 2010), Tombstone Factory, (Epic Rites Press, 2013), Appalachian Frankenstein (GTK Press, 2015) Being the Fire (Tangerine Press, 2016) Shoot the Messenger (Red Flag Press, 2017) and Your Daughter’s Country (Blue Horse Press, 2019). His work has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, Best of the Net, and the Stanley Hanks Memorial Poetry Prize. He was the winner of the 2019 Terri Award given out at the Poetry Rendezvous. He may be reached at [email protected].

The Prettiest Girl in Dallas, Texas

has strong hands
is comfortable in a dust storm

has hair that is the color of corn
that won’t grow here
in winter

her lips are kind
& dry
from kissing
the sun

she knows that sometimes
silence is the only answer
you have to give.

How to Measure Success

for albert huffstickler

a cute british girl
reading one of your poems
on the internet
nearly 20 years after your death

like a single rose
taped to a lamppost
by a woman
who once loved you
like the north texas wind.