by Tony Schanuel
Goddam Sea Monkeys
These little monarchs against total destruction
thrive in airless brack. They swim. Jesus wept.
I put my eyelashes against the magnifier bubble
on their plastic tank, watch the Sampson before
me flashing life & getting stronger & stronger.
My eyes dry for the spectacle of it, the gleeful
circus that starts to enter me. It’s marketing that
tells me those shimmering legs, those loops
& knots are joyful, but I believe in these star
seeds I’ve reanimated. I feel rainbow rushing
into the chronometers inside my head. They spin
& shoot out prescriptions. They say the throbbing
is totally normal. They put a funny little crown
on my head & take off my heavy robe.
Mat Wenzel is a poet and teacher. His poems can be found in such places as Cottonmouth, Crab Orchard Review, Limp Wrist, Carve and others. He is a Lambda Literary Fellow (2015). Mat has 37 stamps in his National Parks Passport, collects squished pennies, and writes zines and poetry. He currently teaches writing in Fort Worth, Texas. Instagram: @the_blue_t0ad.
Tony Schanuel is an award-winning photographer and visual artist who has fused a professional background in photography, digital technology, painting and mark making to create fine art that transcends those mediums. His work has been featured in Digital Imaging Magazine, Computer Graphic Magazine, Wild Heart Journal, St. Louis Design Magazine, and is a featured artist in Cyber Palette and Extreme Graphics, two books showcasing digital artists and their work. He has exhibited at the Florence Biennale and his art is held in private and corporate collections including the Fine Arts Museum of Houston permanent photographic collection. http://www.schanuelphoto.com.