Michael Manerowski

Make a Time of It

PUBLISHED IN FOLIO 2026: VOL. 41.

You’re in the gray
neither light
nor dark
you’re alone
nothing’s demanded of you
and you don’t make
any demands
on anyone

besides
there’s no one
so

so have a go
talk to yourself
aloud
make a time of it
converse
with the chair
don’t sit down on your new friend
stand up
keep talking
and let the chair have a word
or two
no one else is there
to speak up

you can spout nonsensical musings
cast off impromptu sayings
in the direction of the gray mouthed mouse
behind the papery wall
scuttling

or speak aloud the word
you’ve written out carefully
cautiously
with your finger in the dust
set to expire soon
in the gathering
dust

it all amounts to a logical proof
there’s no one here
to argue back

it’s irrefutable

you can take comfort in that

and now
with all your talking aloud
you’ve got plenty of material to work with
if ever it comes time for speaking
with someone other than
yourself

𐫱𐫱𐫱

Michael Manerowski’s poetry and fiction have seen publication in Laurel Review, Hawaii Pacific Review, The Briar Cliff Review, 2River, I-70 Review, Contrapuntos, Rundelania, The Thieving Magpie, Wilderness House Literary Review, Jonah Magazine, and will be forthcoming in Triggerfish Critical Review and The Alembic.  He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Hamline University.