Qualia

Henry Stanton

and so, a new life in a new place began

A black stone sinks

to the bottom of a deep soft lake.

An infant datum wrestles out loud 

from the womb of an infinite dictionary.

The way the mathematics of you incites

the cosmic swaddling to intertwineentwine, wrap 

and fluoresce.

This is how we come forth 

addled and lost

suckling 

as theoneperfect formula.

Prime or amicable or twin, how we might traverse the numbers wasteland

from where we are born,

trailing an incidence of umbilica 

expulsion of placenta.

Say,

the person does not matter / the deed does not matter

nor does the wrestling out,

Say, 

that’s how love finally delivers.

After,

while we rest,

there is music wailing past dead galaxies

lost proof found of labor and awareness,

Then,

as we start to forget,

we become the final theorem of laughter.

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Henry Stanton’s fiction, poetry and paintings have appeared widely in online and print publications.   Most recently his artwork has appeared in Holy & Intoxicated Press, Paper & Ink Zine, The Tiny Seed Journal, Closed Eye Open, Wild Roof Journal and Poet’s Espresso Review.  His poetry was selected for the A3 Review Poetry Prize & was shortlisted for the Eyewear 9th Fortnight Prize for Poetry. His fiction received an Honorable Mention acceptance for the Salt & Syntax Fiction Contest & was selected as a finalist for the Pen 2 Paper Annual Writing Contest. A selection of Henry Stanton’s paintings & other artworks can be viewed at the following website www.brightportfal.com.  Henry Stanton is a regular illustrator for Black Petal & Yellow Online publications.