Poetry: Dominik Slusarczyk

Dominik Slusarczyk

The Pen

Bend the pen.

Make it as malleable as mould.

We need it to

Prove physics is real.

Write until you

Understand that

Nothing exists as

Anything except eternity.

***

Work

Was it worth it?

Does your pile of

Pounds make you happy or

Would you rather be

Able to smile at swans?

No?

The money?

Ok.

***

Nobody

Somebody became nobody.

It is a tough process but

If you know your stuff you

Will surely succeed.

Nobody becomes somebody.

We sit on the shore and stare at the sea.

Do you see the dolphins?

They are not jumping for you.

***

Bathe

Bathe beside me.

This bath is

As fat as the

Love I trapped in my heart.

You are my freedom.

They cannot cage me when

You live in my room.

You are my ignition.

I burn for you.

I burn for you.

You get up and leave the room.

I try to cry but I

Have forgotten how to make the sounds.

***

Desire

You need to be informed with me.

We will learn all about lump sums.

It will be fun for some.

It will not be fun for you.

***

Bio: Dominik Slusarczyk is an artist who makes everything from music to painting. He was educated at The University of Nottingham where he got a degree in biochemistry. His poetry has been published in various literary magazines including California Quarterly and Taj Mahal Review. His poetry was nominated for Best of the Net by New Pop Lit, and was a finalist in a couple of competitions. His full-length poetry collection Reaction is out now with Cyberwit.

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Setu, May 2025

Poetry: Dominik Slusarczyk

Dominik Slusarczyk

Pencil case

I misplaced my pencil case;

I have no pencils now.

How do I

Write down the

Lesson the teacher is

Guessing about?

Will you lend me

A nice new weapon?

We need to

Make school fun because

School is not fun and

We are all children.

***

Stale

They claim they are kings.

I see no crown.

Let’s chuck them in the river.

***

Fake friends

Do you like your fake friends?

Do you like it when they

Say you are perfect even though

Everyone knows you aren’t even particular?

Do their lies keep you warm at night?

You would let them call you queen.

Do not let them inside your mind:

They will muddy your carpets and

Shatter your glass.

***

Battle

I like it but

It does not like me;

We will surely be forced to battle.

I will hit it and

It will hit me.

Can anyone possibly win or

Are we both doomed to lose?

Fight, child.

Accept the pain.

Bleed for fame.

Force the children to chant your name.

***

Clothes

We change into blue.

You say you’ve always

Dreamed of being green.

We change into green.

You say this is not

Like I imagined it would be.

We change into red.

You shake your head.

You say

Maybe we should

Abandon fashion.

I say

You are a nuisance but

You are my nuisance.

***

Dominik Slusarczyk is an artist who makes everything from music to painting. He was educated at The University of Nottingham where he got a degree in biochemistry. His poetry has been published in various literary magazines including ‘Fresh Words’, ‘Berlin Lit, and ‘Home Planet News’.

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Setu, June 2023