by Nikita
grievances
thought one day
would be able to talk to my grandchild
about duty, honor
but my mind has become my enemy
age brings on inactivity
old grievances, fears, guilt, depression
return from the past
gnawing at me, creating doubt
fueling anxiety, igniting familiar tremors
death exists in life, war
there is a rush in killing
not unlike feeling of having survived
later, there’s a debt to pay
some find it a lifelong burden
others find somehow, justification,
maybe a historical perspective, a crutch,
most, have lost part of their souls
in retrospect, I seem
to have lost my way
Dan Jacoby is a graduate of St. Louis University, Chicago State University, and Governors State University. He has published poetry in the Arkansas Review, Bombay Gin, Burningword Literary Review, Canary, The Fourth River, Steel Toe Review, The American Journal of Poetry, and Red Fez to name a few. He is a former educator, steel worker, and counterintelligence agent.. He is a member of the Carlinville Writers Guild and American Academy of Poets. He has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. He is also the author of Blue Jean Buddhists (Duck Lake Books).
Nikita is a 25 year old living in St. Louis City, MO. He started painting seriously in March of 2018 and paints for the joy of his self. From a range of minimalism to abstract, to a bit more concrete, Nikita wishes to paint what he perceives with his diagnosed schizoaffective mind. He wishes that his art will blast inspiration into the hearts and minds of the viewers.