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One Another

by Jason Heroux

One green
is the ghost of
another yellow,

another blue,
another three
is the ghost

of one and two.
A single bell
rings with one

another’s sound.
Each breath is
shared by one

another’s lungs.
Did you ever take
a pair of shoes

and throw one
in the lake and keep
one under your pillow

while you slept?
Did they still
feel their twin

side-by-side
nearby and know
each other’s steps?

We are both echo
and voice, both wave
and shore, we are

one wandering lost
along another road,
and another

welcoming one
inside our home.
A fire can’t burn

by itself, alphabets
need letters to exist,
a hand only feels

how cold it was
when it holds
another hand.

About the Poetry Blackboard

The Poetry Blackboard showcases poems curated by Kingston's Poet Laureate and written by Kingston poets. There's a new poem every month, written by poets living and dead, historical and contemporary, published and unpublished, adults and children, giving full range to the cultural voice of Kingston. Started in 2015 by Helen Humphreys, the Poetry Blackboard has been continued since 2019 by Jason Heroux.

We wish to thank Helen Humphreys, Kingston's second Poet Laureate, for her generous support of emerging and established poets in Kingston through library programming and our Poetry Blackboard project. Throughout her four years as Poet Laureate, Helen curated a digital collection of poetry to showcase the talents of local creators of all ages, both historic and contemporary. Helen also offered several opportunities for emerging poets to develop their craft, offering group workshops and one-on-one mentorship. Her active engagement with the library and community has been greatly appreciated.

In 2019 we welcomed the incoming Poet Laureate, Jason Heroux, who continues to curate the Poetry Blackboard and to develop new community programming.

Previously Published Poems