James O’Shea was born in New York City and raised on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. At age eleven, he began a series of moves around the country and the world. First Toronto, Singapore, and then back to the United States: Connecticut, Harlem, Boston, Washington D.C., San Diego, Brooklyn and the enchanted island of Puerto Rico. He now lives in Chicago. His interest in poetry came out of the observations he made, the lessons he learned and the people he met throughout his travels. His poems have recently been accepted/published at remark., Concrete Meat Sheet and Zygote in my Coffee. You can also visit him here.

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SELECTED POETRY

by
James O'Shea

DEMENTIA PRAECOX

a constant battle
for sanity
crossing over and back again
living
near that place
where the snap's
echo
can be heard before
the break

there is no asylum
no safe place
when logic rips
in two
you can step through
into absolute
delusion
where your new friends
are apparitions

and your family
fades into
the shadows

© James O'Shea

---

I CAN SEE YOUR MOUTH SMILING

We parted at 5am this morning
but the pain of missing
you began before I was gone

When I close my eyes
I can still taste your kisses
I feel your lips on mine
I can see your mouth smiling
I hear your soft breath

My fingers retain the touch
of your stomach
your hips are in my hands
your neck is on my mouth
I am inside you

Yesterday your laugh
was musical perfection
today it haunts
my mind

Yesterday I had you near
me and I fell in love
for a second time

Today I am sitting here
thinking of you
you are still shining
in my memory

© James O'Shea

---

ALL IN

you know when lady luck
caresses you
whispers
the words you need to hear
ending them with kiss
you play that
queen-four-off-suit
and just know
you'll hit two pair
on the flop
your face doesn't
show it
because her words
have placed you in a trance
that mesmerises
your opponent
into pushing out all of his chips
when you say,
"All in."

© James O'Shea

---

I MISS YOU

hanging from a tree
his empty
body swung
protected from the cold
by heavy
winter clothes

an endless string
of jobs
shame-filled
phone calls for help
sixty years
old and too
much suffering

he packed up
his belongings
and laid out his debts
his second to last chore
taking out the
garbage

my uncle
hanged himself
from that
tree at 3am
so his neighbour
would find him
in the morning

© James O'Shea

---

A FLASH OF BRILLIANCE

it goes click
and burns a brand
on the inside of the brain

it licks a node
and leaves a wet
memory to savour

those moments when
your flesh sets aflame
and your mind reads in
slow motion

your body reacts
like a perfect machine
all relaxed
but ready

you can break
a bad man's
neck
or play
the guitar
like the devil
showed you how

© James O'Shea