Michael E. Duckwall Poetry |Contemporary American poet

Michael E. Duckwall

Against the Tides

Look for people swimming against the tides

the ones who swim out in the undertow, to save another.

The ones who risk it all, to lift up family and friends.

The ones who will help out a stranger, when they have nothing to gain.

People who live for change, thriving in the dark cold light

of a full moon. The nights crazy runs wild and the currents pull at our souls.

When we swim into the undertow and risk everything 

to save anyone reaching out their hand, when they are drowning.

Look for people who see a need and fill it, asking for nothing

but acceptance. Just to be accepted, for living their life.

Look for these people, look in the mirror and hope to see one looking back.

These are my people, those who swim against the tides.

I can only hope to see one in the mirror, living a life that pulls me under

every chance it gets. Making me remember, making me forget the best

the worst. And as I’m sinking towards the ocean floor

I think of love. In this moment, I reach out my hand

I'm going under, hoping someone sees me, people who are swimming

against the tides, into the undertow, my people. More often than not

I sink into the dark, I’m reaching out, I love you..

Peeling Away:

I've known my whole life, something was wrong.

Not per se wrong, just different.

Now It's time I peel the mask away.

Not caring what others think, what others say.

I've let judgment hold me down for far too long.

It's time to embrace my thoughts, as strange as I am.

It's time to stop wearing this mask to please others.

I've always known, I just never let it show.

Here take a peek, see my face, these scars

this past I wear. Parts of me the mask was covering.

Me? Can I be?

Judgment, I could lose it all.

Yet this life, finite. I only have myself

this body, for so long.

My soul needs to see, truth in the mirror.

Not a mask, no more.

I've known my whole life, this day would come.

The reward outweighs the risk.

With my mask removed, will you still love me like this?

Different from the rest. I only hope that you see

truth in the mirror. If not, let's risk it all

together.

Strung Out:

I gotta get my fix. Earn some money so I can pay my rent.

I gotta find a job that's legit. I GOT BILLS TO PAY! 

No more hustling in the streets, no more slinging dope.

No more good kush stink, trading time for smoke.

I GOT BILLS TO PAY! I gotta drug test to take

you know what I mean. I need that 401k, I gotta take care of me.

I gotta try to be the American dream. I GOT BILLS TO PAY!

I gotta get my fix, before the bottom drops out of all of this.

Before this paper money ain't worth a shit.

You know it scratches my ass when I wipe with it.

I GOT BILLS TO PAY!  That's why I sacrifice my dreams

for this all mighty dollar. Can you hear me holler? 

I GOT BILLS TO PAY! Because in America

none of us are free.We're all slaves to the grind, slaves to the greed.

I GOT BILLS TO PAY! I gotta find a job real quick, with insurance 

vacation, all that good shit. I GOT BILLS TO PAY!

The landlord  keeps banging on my door, he wants his rent. 

But all of my money is already spent. God almighty 

I GOT BILLS TO PAY! I gotta find a job that's legit

so I can get my fix. Because I'm jonesing for those

dirty dollar banknotes. They ain't real money, they're a fucking joke.

WE ALL GOT BILLS TO PAY! Living day by day

strung out in the U.S. of A.

Climbing Out of Skin and Bone

I try my best to keep climbing higher 

I keep reaching until I can grab a hold of clouds. 

Then I climb even further 

until I can wrap my arms around the Sun, the Moon. 

I keep climbing 

needing to get away from this Earth. 

I reach even higher 

until my fingers tickle comets and stars. 

Finally, I can breathe 

without the weight of expectations pushing down on me. 

I have to climb to where 

there is no atmosphere. 

I must get outside of myself 

outside of everything I've been taught to believe. 

Beyond all perception, reaching into the unknown 

to find what I'm looking for. 

I need to climb out of skin and bone 

to finally find me. 

The stars laugh, the comets laugh 

feeling a sense of relief, I smile and laugh too. 

Then they ask 

“What in the world took you so long?”

Disappeared

Everything went black, am I dead?

No, a bag over my head, wrestled into a van for something I said

Speaking out against a corrupt government

We are no longer free, Big Brother's always watching, listening 

That's why we can't remove our batteries

Conned into believing smartphones are a necessity

We carry our jailor in our own pocket 

Panicking when it starts to go dead

Frantically looking for a socket

We must stay charged in this matrix

Our prison without bars

Until we cross their line in the sand

A line that's constantly moving

Right now they say "Illegal immigrants”

When the tapes are rolling

Whispering “Homegrowns” while the mic is still hot

Everything went black, am I dead?

No, I'm being disappeared

Erased from existence 

You, oblivious to the situation

Doom scrolling with your prison guard in your own hand

We must stand up before it's too late

You may think that you're safe; But, you're not

The line in the sand is constantly moving

One day you'll step across

Then, everything goes black

Bio:

Michael E. Duckwall is a poet, artist and activist from southern Indiana who has three chapbooks: “Ramblings of a Recovering Poet” published by Pure Sleeze Press, “7.2 SkullQuake” published by Cajun Mutt Press, the limited edition “Kraken Nuts”  co-authored with Chad M. Horn and has been featured in numerous anthologies/magazines. He hosts a monthly open mic in Scottsburg Indiana. Michael has also worked behind the scenes as part of production teams for a 57hr non-stop  music/poetry Insomniacathon in  Louisville KY 2024 and Gonzofest NOLA 2025.