Thinking of the Experience I Saw at a Writing Workshop, by Matthew Johnson

She was stripped and made vulnerable
In the harshest conditions,

And as she sank further into the Earth,
Gripping tight to her armrest which had become an anchor,

We did nothing,
But adjust our chairs and avert our eyes elsewhere,

As if counting the ceiling tiles
Suddenly became the most interesting thing ever,

And so, I stopped attending stonings.

–

Matthew Johnson is a writer who has moved up and down the East Coast (formerly Upstate NY, then CT, and now in NC). He enjoys watching sports, especially baseball, basketball, and football. In his spare time, he enjoys going for walks, reading, watching movies, and playing video games. He has been stuck on the final levels of Cuphead for multiple presidential administrations. Find more at www.matthewjohnsonpoetry.com.

© 2025, Matthew Johnson