Poetry by John T. Leonard

Michael Steeber CC




Intrinsic Rights and Wrongs

Ready-witted / will you mingle on a map of compassion? It isn’t quite 
deserved. If you want to win friends, meow. If you want to influence 
people, tinker with peyote. An era of teeth…Mint-tasting society of 
sheep with long fine wool, used in grilling. (mer • cu • ri • al)  as thorny 
a plight any class of mammals will match. Atomic dinosaurs whose duty 
(or function) is to lack compassion and spellbind. Showing a father
the nucleus of chaos—publicize someone else’s son. Commodities, 
stocks, and lattice—greedy hirling commands pain and wood IQ.  
head of traffic fish, body of a fish-eating duck—inhumane creature, 
cooking and eating the young. A general suggestion for dealing with 
savage, tyrannical mercenary (pl. –ies)…show no mercy, interfere, 
make known the element of tolerance isn’t deserved. 
see in clutch(es) of a N. American jury’s metallic point. 
Nothing but severity.  Make imaginary soldiers cry.


                                                            “M” Dictionary Sonnet





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John T. Leonard is a writer and educator who serves as editor-in-chief of Rawhead and managing editor of 42 Miles Press and The Glacier. He holds an M.A. in English from Indiana University. John’s poems have been published in Lunch Ticket, Chiron Review, December Magazine, Anti-Heroin Chic, North Dakota Review, Ethel Zine, Louisiana Literature, and South Florida Poetry Journal. His debut poetry collection is forthcoming. He lives in Elkhart, Indiana, with his wife and son. You can connect with him on Instagram @jotyleon



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