Anthony J. Dennis
Anthony J. Dennis is an author, lawyer, poet and human rights activist. His poetry has appeared in a variety of literary magazines over the years including, most recently, Into the Void (Issue 16 – August, 2020), Panoply (Issue 14 – January, 2020), Sons and Daughters Literary Journal (December, 2019) and The Scriblerus (Fall, 2018). His poetry is also forthcoming in Dreamers Magazine. He has written dozens of articles for legal journals, newspapers and magazines. He is also the author of three nonfiction books and co-author of three more. Dennis holds degrees in law, literature and history from Northwestern University School of Law and Tufts University.
God’s Beetle
“Emotion recollected in tranquility” takes time.
The pop-eyed beetle God kicks with his shoe
has none…
only the hard, arthropod exterior
we are all born with, to break his fall
inuring us to the cruelties of childhood
and finally old age.
Nothing can crush us,
we are the dead, dried husks at the bottom
of the elevator shaft
desiccating in dusty, winter sunlight.
Dust motes dance
a random memorial service above our heads
We are not the dust.
We are the detritus beneath.
Sheila-Na-Gig online 