Perhaps the used butt you picked
from the sidewalk
with bloom of borrowed flame
will yield nightshade
jitters like a faithful fruit tree born
of grafting, now on its own,
smacked lipstick and dried saliva
of another, only enhancing
the taste until you suck all the nic’
and leave the imp on the rich,
hard surface of the city for the next
needful plucking mouth
John Zedolik is an adjunct English instructor at a number of universities in Pittsburgh and has published poems in such journals as Abbey, The Bangalore Review (IND), Commonweal, FreeXpresSion (AUS), Orbis (UK), Paperplates (CAN), Poem, Poetry Salzburg Review (AUT), Third Wednesday, Transom, and in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. In 2019, he published a full-length collection, entitled Salient Points and Sharp Angles (CW Books), which is available through Amazon. His iPhone continues to be his primary poetry notebook, and he hopes his use of technology to craft this ancient art remains fruitful.
