John is a social worker working in the field of disability management and holds degrees in social work, rehabilitation services, and psychology.  He is the author of two books of poetry: “March” and “The Seasons of Us” (both published in 2019). His work has appeared widely in numerous literary journals, magazines, and anthologies internationally. John is also a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net nominee and lives in Caledon Ontario, Canada with his wife and two children.

Walls

  Toward vast 
 Expanses of space
 Fragments of knowledge
 Over time
 The faint whispers
 Of an ancient race
 Sky guides
 Monoliths
 And writings on stone
 Treasured caves
 Of not so primitive art
 Suggesting long forgotten
 Openings
 Through modern walls
 Back to us 

Distractions in Arles

  In the yellow house
 Off the square
 By the medieval gates
 And the railway bridge
 Behind the faded 
 Green windows 
 Of despair
 I sit by the dwindling fire
 Thinking of your soft
 Pale skin
 The winter’s light
 Streaming onto the floor
 At my feet
 As the room grows colder
 And my breath hangs 
 On the still brumal air
 Distracting me
 From visions too intense
 For this world 

Walk About

 In the transubstantiation 
 Of myself
 Unto myself
 Walking where 
 The wild mushrooms grow
 Down paths
 Into valleys
 Through the trees
 Where the copper creek
 Runs to the pond
 By the big marsh field
 With bulrushes
 To the sky
 And my heart sinking 
 Without you