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The Sunday Poem is published weekly, and strives to include the poet reading their work.
Jason Youngclaus reads his poem at its conclusion.
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photo via FBA Mastery
,
,
Traces
You’ll always find:
that used CD,
the one you bought on your 17th birthday,
sprouting up somewhere you didn’t expect—
sometime after you’d presumed it lost
at sea, with the original date
still puckered onto the inside flap
with the cool design ribbed
through the inside cover;
and you’ll remember
how the 2nd track
was your favorite.
And that final piece of shattered glass,
from the mug her elbow didn’t see
coming; that mug from the basement
of the Goodwill downtown—
my hidden library,
where frayed spines, once held in other hands,
bear etchings in the margins;
racks and racks of classics
for the price of an orange,
where we’d uncovered many a treasure
together, and also alone.
You’ll take the French Press
if I buy that sweater
—just remember:
that old mug will always lodge a tactile shard
in your foot
at a similar odd angle,
sometimes after a hot shower,
cut like a letter,
sometimes after listening to that old CD,
at a late mistaken hour—
sometimes you won’t ever find it,
someone else will—at a thrift store—
But none of that changes
how that 2nd song made you feel
like you were a hundred feet under the moon
before you knew glass could shatter
it would just float and float
the sound—
always determined to find you.
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Listen to Jason Youngclaus read his poem
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Jason Youngclaus is the author of the poetry collection Little Planet Raisins (Spartan Press, 2020). His recent work has appeared or is forthcoming in JMWW Literary Journal, Pictura Journal, Cathexis Northwest Press, and Anti-Heroin Chic, among others, and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize. He lives in Massachusetts, where his interests include old diners, acoustic guitars, and pickup wiffleball games.
You can find him on Instagram @jyc_music_lyrics.
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Click for:
Information about the book Kinds of Cool: An Interactive Collection of Jazz Poetry, Vol. II (featuring women poets)
More poetry on Jerry Jazz Musician
“Where the Music Wasn’t Allowed,” Jane McCarthy’s winning story in the 71st Jerry Jazz Musician Short Fiction Contest
More short fiction on Jerry Jazz Musician
Information about how to submit your poetry or short fiction
Subscribe to the (free) Jerry Jazz Musician quarterly newsletter
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