Safe
you can’t prove something entirely safe
complete thoughts
swallowed by periods
that’s art for you
a bucket of knives
for putting out fires
believe it or not Jesus was a raconteur
fish and chips for the masses
alpha and omega-3
I prefer religious smorgasbords
entrees from all traditions
dabs of dogmas for sides
everything’s a conversation
whether you say anything or not
is it safe to say my sepia memories are me?
hedge your bets with the gods
risk management with wifi in the wilderness
keep visions to a minimum with defensive sleeping
trouble shoot
hum melatonin mmmmmmmelatoninnnn
whisper serotonin sssssssssserotoninnnn
I worry about the beatific vision
playing cards all eternity with an autistic god
no beer and peanuts
I have no quarrel with juxtapositions
except when they involve
strapping on vestments
when’s the last time you tossed your soul into the salad
when’s the last time you raged on the moor
when’s the last time you sang to the mermaids
too safe is not safe
carry a few extra pounds
invest in your death
Martin Settle is a writer and assemblage artist residing in Charlotte, NC. In 2015 Main Street Rag published his first book of poetry The Teleology of Dunes. His second book Coming to Attention: developing the habit of haiku was released in September of 2016. In 2017, he self-published a third book called The Backbone Alphabet. His chapbook Maple Samaras (Wild Leek Press) came out in April 2018. He has been awarded The Thomas McDill Award (North Carolina Poetry Society), The Poetry of Courage Award, the Nazim Hikmet Poetry Award, and the Griffin-Farlow Haiku Award.
