This little speck of dust

gets up in the morning, 

weighs himself, puts on clothes, has breakfast. 

This little speck of dust 

goes to work, where he types, files and chats on the phone

with other specks of dust.

This little speck of dust 

is glad when he comes home in the evening 

and when the weekend rolls around:  

he can watch TV, read books, surf the net, 

even play guitar. 

He has a speck-of-dust wife 

and speck-of-dust children

and owns a house that is home to 

hundreds of thousands 

of other, more miniscule 

specks of dust.

He has opinions about himself, and his fellow 

specks of dust.

He worries about his civilization being 

swept away. 

Evenings, on his front porch, he gazes up 

at the dustpan of the sky, 

at the millions upon millions 

of brilliant specks 

from millennia ago.

He wonders what will become of him.

At night he dreams 

of dust. 

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Montreal poet/singer-songwriter/editor/translator Brian Campbell is the author of several collections of poetry, including Shimmer Report (Ekstasis Editions, 2015) and Passenger Flight (Signature Editions, 2009). His poetry has appeared in such literary magazines as The Antigonish Review, Vallum, CV2, The New Quarterly, Grain, Prairie Fire, Montreal Serai, and The Saranac Review. He also cohosts the literary series, Lawn Chair Soirée. Brian’s latest independent music album is A Crystal Rim, an EP featuring poems by Rumi, Hafiz and Gabriel Celaya put to music. Visit his homepage at www.briancampbell.ca