Matthew Murrey

Before the Dancers,

 
their shadows.
Before the fire, the hanging
breath.  Before the kiss, the toss
and turn.  Before the poem,
the page.  Before death, sleep—
or was it death, then sleep? 
Maybe I’ve had it wrong all along: 
maybe the dancers, then their shadows.

Matthew Murrey is a recently retired high school librarian in Urbana, IL.. His debut book of poems, Bulletproof, was published in 2019 by Jacar Press. He’s had poems recently published Under a Warm Green Linden, The Shore, and Moist Poetry Journal. He and his partner have two grown sons. His website is at https://www.matthewmurrey.net.