Matthew Sradeja - Foliate Oak Literary Magazine
They Don't Know You

by Matthew Sradeja 



They don’t know you
They don’t know the pattern
Of your breath
They have stolen from you
Stolen the breath from your lungs
Stolen the fire from your guts
They don’t know you
They may be aliens
May even breathe like lobsters
May have stolen more than we can imagine
May have crept right into your chest
And stolen your breath
Lobster like claws scrapping
At your ribs poking your heart
Punctured your lungs
And skittered off with your breath
I think there is something wrong with that
Matthew Sradeja grew up on the East side of Toledo on the right side of the tracks, but the wrong side of the river. He has worked in the Automotive industry and the glass industry in a variety of occupations. He started going to poetry readings in 1999 and has been in a few print and on-line zines. Some of his poems can be found at Full of Crow, red fez, rusty truck, spirit caller, and a few other spots. He believes there is energy in poetry and is learning how to use it, wisely.