This slick black Pontiac,
which traversed Route 66,
when that was still a thing.
You twist your key in the ignition,
but it won’t.
This mother-of-pearl music box,
whose metallic teeth composed a melody
which you can still recall.
You wind the gear to make it play,
but it won’t.
This still-ticking heart,
which could once
explode with love.
An explosion needs ignition,
but you’ve forgotten how to play.
If you want to play again,
go back to the beginning.
_________
A writer from Boston, Matthew Goldberg is the author of an unpublished Sukkot-themed novella, as well as an unpublished chapbook of poems rooted in Israel. His work has appeared in Paper Brigade Daily, Hatikvah Magazine, Pomegranate Tent Review, and Write-Haus (forthcoming). For all the latest, you can follow him on Instagram @mattwhowrites