B

Body Oriented

by John Zedolik

Reassurance rests on the tendon
joining humerus to ulna and brother radius,
a plain broad enough to set up
cup and saucer in the correct contortion—
—If I choose so to bend—
but solid just in imagination taking off
from the solid surface and support under skin
only a clasp of thumb and forefinger,
seconds tensed needed,
even when astride the irregular earth
sharp to any fall

John Zedolik

For thirteen years John taught English and Latin in a private all-girls school. Eventually, he wrote a dissertation that focused on the pragmatic comedy of the Canterbury Tales, thereby completing his Ph.D. in English. Currently, he is an adjunct instructor at Chatham and Duquesne Universities in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. However, he has had many jobs in his life including archaeological field assistant, obituary writer, and television-screen-factory worker, which—he hopes—have contributed in positive and intriguing ways to his writing. He has had poems published in such journals as Aries, Ascent Aspirations (CAN), The Chaffin Journal, Common Ground Review, The Journal (UK), Pulsar Poetry Webzine (UK), Third Wednesday, U.S. 1 Worksheets, and in thePittsburgh Post-Gazette. He also has numerous poems forthcoming this year in a variety of publications. His iPhone is now his primary poetry notebook, and he hopes his use of technology in regard to this ancient art form continues to be fruitful.