American Hide and Seek
Hiding when they seek
as if hiding is seek sensitive
seeking is a kind of hide inversion
they’re paid to seek
you’re not paid to hide
sometimes it’s better to hide
in a hole where
you don’t even know
where you are
when they seek
it’s actually a form of digging
it’s actually more like removal
than digging actually
more like disposal
I actually think seeking
damages the seekers
in ways they aren’t even aware of
there’s no end to the amount
of damage they’re capable of
inflicting when it’s not safe to hide
they’re not seeking safely
like a part of speech
without the speech
they don’t know they need
to seek with humility
the way a true seeker seeks
digging a hole
in a hole
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Peter Leight lives in Amherst, Massachusetts. He has previously published poems in Paris Review, AGNI, Antioch Review, Beloit Poetry Journal, New World, and other magazines.
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Sujash Purna is an American poet and photographer based in Madison, Wisconsin. He explores themes of abandonment, subconscious, and nostalgia in his work. His editorial photography has been published by Nustar, Bold and Beyond, and L’Attirance. His visual art photography appeared in literary journals such as The Ilanot Review, Mud Season Review, Welter, Kansas City Voices, and more.
