​Psalms / daniel romo

For Alex

Finding a message in a bottle almost excuses the littering. Because any such discovery is rooted in analyzing the subtleties in the writer’s penmanship. Extended flourishes suggest insecurity, perfect circles—promiscuity. But fully pardoning any flagrant act requires an indiscriminate regard for morality in itself. Even residents of glass houses still must contend with faulty plumbing. Polluting the ocean in the name of narcissism is the poor man’s dm’ing. But a confession thrown to the waves is an apology rich in humility. Sending good vibes will never make it off a deserted island. The tide is at its highest when prayers collide with moonlight.

Daniel Romo is the author of Apologies in Reverse (FutureCycle Press, 2019), When Kerosene’s Involved (Mojave River Press, 2014), and Romancing Gravity (Silver Birch Press, 2013). His poetry can be found in The Los Angeles Review, The Good Man Project, Barrelhouse, and elsewhere. He lives, bench presses, and rides his folding bike in Long Beach, CA. More at danielromo.net.