Robert Okaji

Overlooked

How immemorable, he thinks,
drilling into the wall.
Another hole, another day.
Fill them, and still others
beg creation.

Say mouth. Say void,
followed by tongue and burden,
by orifice and bland. Say
invisible. Empty. Say forget.

That we plan is given.
But who writes the manual
to our lives? The hammer

does not shiver at the thought
of itself. Take this board
and remove only that portion
the screw will occupy.

Level the hook. Admire
the work. Adjust.
Do this twice.

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Robert Okaji lives in Texas. His work has appeared or is forthcoming in Crannóg, Posit, Wildness, Blue Fifth Review, Taos Journal of International Poetry & Art, and elsewhere.

 

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