In the mountains,
the Smoky Mountains,
sight is dream.
You send me a view.
I write back
I cannot accept places
in my workspace.
The thought that the
world is smoky,
unclear, nebulous.
This is the thought that
wakes me from
the dream. I dream
of Smoky Mountains,
and you there, looking.
Sight is everything,
you might say,
and you are only words.
Corey Mesler is the owner of Burke’s Book Store,
in Memphis, TN, one of the country’s oldest (1875) and best independent
bookstores. He has published poetry and fiction in numerous journals including
Pindeldyboz, Orchid, Thema,
Mars Hill Review, Poet Lore and others.
He has also been a book reviewer for The Memphis Commercial Appeal
and The Memphis Flyer. A short story of his was chosen
for the 2002 edition of New Stories from the South: The Year’s
Best, published by Algonquin Books. His first novel, Talk:
A Novel in Dialogue appeared in 2002. His second novel, We
Are Billion-Year-Old Carbon will appear in 2005. He also has
5 poetry chapbooks available. Most importantly, he is Toby and Chloe’s
dad and Cheryl’s husband.
Corey Mesler is the owner of Burke’s Book Store,
in Memphis, TN, one of the country’s oldest (1875) and best independent
bookstores. He has published poetry and fiction in numerous journals including
Pindeldyboz, Orchid, Thema,
Mars Hill Review, Poet Lore and others.
He has also been a book reviewer for The Memphis Commercial Appeal
and The Memphis Flyer. A short story of his was chosen
for the 2002 edition of New Stories from the South: The Year’s
Best, published by Algonquin Books. His first novel, Talk:
A Novel in Dialogue appeared in 2002. His second novel, We
Are Billion-Year-Old Carbon will appear in 2005. He also has
5 poetry chapbooks available. Most importantly, he is Toby and Chloe’s
dad and Cheryl’s husband.