Michael Lee Johnson

Michael Lee Johnson is a freelance writer and poet, who has had over 240 poems published in over 110 journals and online publications. He is a member of Poets & Writers, Inc and Directory of American Poets & Fictions Writers: pw.org/directory. He has been published in the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Australia, Nigeria, India, and the United Kingdom. The Lost American is about one man’s journey into exile over the Vietnam War many years ago, his struggle, his survival, his road to recovery and strength manifesting itself through his prose and poems. Mr. Michael Lee Johnson lives with his best friend, Nikki, the cat, and is content to be living in a small suburb of Chicago.


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	The Seasons and the Slants by Michael Lee Johnson I live my life inside my patio window.It’s here, at my business desk I slipinto my own warm pajamas and slippersseek Jesus, come to termswith my own cross and brittle conditions.Outside, wint
	Inside This World Zipped by Michael Lee Johnson I‘m inside this world of silent creative spacewithin a zipped up tube of wordswithin the darkness I crawl from my vocabulary.I look on the walls of night look for an exit.I look through the cro
	Picture, Cap and Gown by Michael Lee Johnson Cap and gownhistory major,minor in mathgraduation underthe maple tree,bright red leaves,but the times don’t show it;a full face grins.There’s a shadowbelow your

	Bowl of Black Petunias by Michael Lee Johnson If you must leave me, pleaseleave me for something special,like a beautiful bowl of black petuniasfor when the memories leakand cracks appearand old memories fade,flowers rebuff bloom,s
	Raindrop Baby (Original V2) by Michael Lee Johnson I’m a raindrop babysilhouetted in the night,single-ringed single personminus the 24 carat gold.A harvester of night life,star crystal,a gather of sluts in my imagination,
	Raindrop Baby (Version 2) by Michael Lee Johnson I’m a raindrop Chicago babysilhouetted in the night,single-ringed single personminus the 24 carat gold.A harvester of night life,star crystal,a gatherer of slutsin m
	Raindrop Baby (Version 1) by Michael Lee Johnson I’m a Chicago raindrop babysilhouetted in the night,single-ringed single personminus the 24 carat gold.A harvester of night life,star crystal, seated, wellproportioned,
	Rose Petals in a Dark Room by Michael Lee Johnson I walk in a mastery of the night and lightmy money changers walk behind methey are fools like clowns in a shadow of sin,they’re busy as bees as drunken lovers,Sodom and Gomorrah before the salt pill
	I Am Old Frustrated Thought by Michael Lee Johnson I am old frustrated thoughtI look into my once eagle eyesand find them dim before my dead mother,I see through clouded egg whites with dayspassing by like fog feathers.I trip over old experiences
	If You Find No Poem by Michael Lee Johnson If you findno poem onyour doorstepin the morning,no paper, no knock on your door,and your life is poorly editedbut no broken dashesor injured meterand you d
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