Terry Chess
Don’t Hold Your Breath Dreama thousand-year summersaturatedwith the carnal scent ofsun tan oil. Pictureimmortal green leavesswayinglike hula dancersin blue breezes. Imaginethe tsunami of nightevaporatedby the fresh, eternal sun. Pray the toreadors of hateflee from the arenaon their hallucinatory horses. Hopeyou’ll never again cowerbehind locked doorsafter God lands withthe extraterrestrials. Don’t hold your breath. Two Views of the Chicago Skyline 1.Lonely men standingIn a crowded bar on Saturday night-Clutching their beers,Checking out the women,Afraid to make a move 2.Callous onlookersJostling one anotherFor a look atThe killingOn the unshavenSummer streetBelow Terry Chess's poetry most recently appeared in The Chiron Review. He is also a published short story writer. When not writing, Terry is a real estate agent in the Chicago area.