Zack Moy

I’ve written about my four lines of poetry a day project before.

Since April 1st, 2017, I’ve been writing 4 line poems every day, often while commuting, in a series I call Dear Diary. To make things more interesting, I’ve limited myself to 5 minutes per poem. (And yes, I’ve published the majority of these on Instagram.)

Call me old fashioned, but I know this will get to you. This past week I saw you all over Portland. You made me feel at home.

It started as a part-time job.

For over two decades the Chicagoland area was home. I grew up in a northwest suburb, spending most days within a 2 mile radius of my house. When I did venture into the city, I was always with family or on a school trip so we only experienced iconic Chicago:

One year ago I lost a friend suddenly. He happened to be a coworker and former manager so I found out at work. My teammate chatted Yo, can you talk for a sec? On the phone? I casually answered his call.

The first words I said to you were “Excuse me.”
I needed something to say so I pretended I was in your personal space.
You said “sorry” as though you knew everything.

Perhaps you’re right when you tell me
I’m taking this
too seriously.
But my disputes with the directors and their so-called visions
always result in Oscars. They thank me

Dewdrops down a window pane
inside a four door house
forged by a foreign architect
native to my country.

The night he came back tipsy
he told me he enlisted,
but I never knew
why he did anything so crazy as joining
during a war.