Anis Mojgani

Anis Mojgani is the author of five books of poetry. His work has appeared on HBO, NPR, and in journals Bat City Review, Rattle, Buzzfeed Reader, Thrush, and Forklift Ohio, amongst others. A two time National Poetry Slam Champion and winner of the International World Cup Poetry Slam, Anis has done commissioned work for the Getty Museum, the Peabody Essex Museum, and the Portland Timbers, and has been awarded artist residencies from the Vermont Studio Center, AIR Serenbe, and the Bloedel Nature Reserve. Originally from New Orleans, Anis currently lives in Portland, OR, where he serves on the Board of Directors for Literary Arts. His latest book is In the Pockets of Small Gods. Source

To the Sea

Sometimes when you start to ramble

or rather when you feel you are starting to ramble

you will say Well, now I’m rambling

though I don’t think you ever are.

And if you ever are I don’t really care.

And not just because I and everyone really

at times falls into our own unspooling

—which really I think is a beautiful softness

of being human, trying to show someone else

the color of all our threads, wanting another to know

everything in us we are trying to to show them—

but in the specific,

in the specific of you

here in this car that you are driving

and in which I am sitting beside you

with regards to you

and your specific mouth

parting to give way

to the specific sweetness that is

the water of your voice

tumbling forth—like I said

I don’t ever really mind

how much more

you might keep speaking

as it simply means

I get to hear you

speak for longer.

What was a stream

now a river.

Published:

2023

Length:

Regular

Literary Movements:

Contemporary

Anthology Years:

2024

Themes:

Friendship

Love & Relationships