Brian Rihlmann

Time Is Not the Clock today I pick a different spot for zazenfacing the the front doorand its blank white slate I breathe as outsidethe wind whistlesthrough the treesrattles the deadboltagainst its home in the backgroundthe clock ticksa regular soundnot at all like the chaotic clangof a neighbor’s wind chimes maybe the clangand the tangled stringstell more about timethan the clock does the clock merely tells mewhen to get upwhen to go to workwhen to sleep again the clock has no ideawhat it tookfor me to get hereto be sittinghere the clock is not timethe stars areand the earththe oceanthe wind and us the wind blows harderthe door rattles like a straythe wind would liketo come inif I would let it in truth it is herealready

Brian Rihlmann lives and writes in Reno, Nevada. His poetry has appeared in many magazines, including The Rye Whiskey Review, Fearless, Heroin Love Songs, Chiron Review and The Main Street Rag. His latest collection, "Night At My Throat," (2020) was published by Pony One Dog Press.