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Someday

Someday

by Liam Hovey

            Some nights
When doubts claw their way up from my inner consciousness
and poison my thoughts with whispered promises of persecution —
When I look to the night sky to the judgment of a thousand stars
and they stare me down and promise a malignant execution —
When I look down at my earth but the city streets are darker
because somebody saw me walking and turned out the light —
When the sirens drag me up from the ocean floor laughing
and say "Sorry, for us you aren't right" —
When I look deeply into the mirror and see nothing
because my reflection's run away already and hidden far out of sight —
When I scream and the mirror shatters
and the fragments scatter wildly across the night —
When I mirror the mirror
and all the King's horses and men don't even try —
When my world crumbles to dust around me
and everything's gone but I can't bring myself to cry —
When the future's uncertain and the present's all right
and the past calls and says "don't trust the future it's always drinking and high" —
Those nights I doubt.
Those nights I cry.

But most nights I don't.

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 There's a new poem every month, written by poets living and dead, historical and contemporary, published and unpublished, adults and children, giving full range to the cultural voice of Kingston.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