Feeling Good for a Moment, by John Tustin

Dear Readers,

Welcome back! This week we have a pensive poem from past writer John Tustin. Please read and share, and consider submitting something yourself.

Meanwhile, the Derailleur Press team is working hard on publishing our upcoming chapbook (available to preorder here) and planning the rest of 2022. Keep an eye out for some upcoming announcements!

Stay safe, readers.

The Derailleur Press team

At this point 
The best I can hope for
Is to feel good for a moment
Or a minute
Or perhaps a half an hour

And Good
Now
Nearly always means
A pleasant surprise
Or a simple pleasure
Like eating good food
Or complete evacuation of the bowels.

Right now, 
For instance,
I got out of the hot shower
And then into some clean clothes.
It’s the best I’ve felt all day
And I don’t know if that means
My life has degraded
Or that I’ve simplified my desires to the border
Between enlightenment
And imbecility.

Sometimes I hold in my urine
Until I’m about to burst
For the delayed satisfaction of relief
Or allow myself to hunger
All day
So that anything I eat
Will taste like the ambrosia of Zeus.
If that means this is almost the end
For me 
Then I’ll just say goodbye now
And then go piss
Because since about line 15
​My teeth have been just about swimming.

John Tustin’s poetry has appeared in many disparate literary journals since 2009. fritzware.com/johntustinpoetry contains links to his published poetry online.