Empties

#
Backfield set,
5 wide. 

#
What the viewer sees in Munch’s woodcut The Trial By Fire:
in the wrinkles of her dress, 
between the lines. 

#
He eats the last Samoa and shoves the box
back into the cupboard.
Little nests
with no bottom—
the eggs would fall out.

#
The orange block E and x form a white arrow: forward momentum, kinetic energy.  Logistics.
There’s an H hidden between the W and the whale’s tale on the throwback sweaters.  It’s subtler than the
Habs’ H. 

#
The empty set contains no multitudes.
The empty mind contains many platitudes.
The empty heart contains no bile. 

#
The death chair is the only item in the room.
Drapes flow in the wind.  Open windows permit a smoky breeze.
Moonlight cross-hatches the floorboards.  It wears its shadow
like a cape. 

#
Empty shores
Empty waters
Empty lights

#
Garbage island is chock full of ‘em. 
Floatation devices.  2 liters of 7 up.  Deflated balls.  Sixpack rings. 

#
Burnt ends of candles
scorch the glass.

S.D. Dillon has an AB from Princeton and an MFA from Notre Dame, where he was managing editor of The Bend in 2004. His poetry has appeared most recently in Tar River Poetry, Tampa Review, Barstow & Grand, The RavensPerch, Lighthouse Weekly, Walloon Writers Review, Tipton Poetry Journal, California Quarterly, and Ghost City Review. He lives in Michigan.