John Samuel Tieman

 

Dr John Samuel Tieman was born in 1950. His award winning chapbook, "A Concise Biography Of Original Sin", is published by BkMk Press. His poetry has appeared in "The Americas Review", "The Caribbean Quarterly", “The Chariton Review”, "The Iowa Review", "Rattle", "River Styx" and “Stand”. His poetry also has appeared internationally in translation. Tieman is a widely published essayist and translator. He is a regular contributor to the online magazine, “Vox Populi”. He lives in St. Louis, Missouri, in the United States.

Simplicity Walking across the office you recall the day you arrived the air clear millions of windows now you know the way it goes the crowd, spare change So there's no end to the indistinct mountains the arts, cross-walks nights you sit on the bed and watch a stream of traffic Then once again suddenly not quite depressed you remember how different this is the place names in Spanish the lover who made you stay And you knowing the slope overgrown with tin roofs know miles away a man carving a mask stares straight at you Mexico City, '85

Analyst first thing this morning the kitchen table her short black hair mostly combed her "Sunday Times" open to something she sets aside she makes notes about desire and the revival of a Chekhov play she redefines desire makes it her own quotes Freud then considers Lacan and underlines again a line she already underlined thus begins the article she will write and rewrite until it leaves her the way the words and lines leave her first thing this morning