We destroy ourselves
as ants build a colony
as birds build strong nests
We enjoy ourselves
as winter presses onward
absurd awaiting
We depress ourselves
watching the clocks on the walls
seeing not learning
from the evergreens
and the redwoods I’ve heard of
and know still stand tall
and mystery itself
and her great three-lettered name
as our books stack up
— JAKE TRIOLA
Jake Triola is a writer, musician, and filmmaker from Erie, Pennsylvania, currently living in Glasgow, Scotland. He studied cinema, photography, and comparative literature at Ithaca College, where he made the award-winning thesis film, Drawdown. He has since released nine albums and five EPs under the name “Kill Symbols.” His poetry has appeared in Synchronized Chaos, Spinozablue, The Odd Review, and more.