the conduit
it’s so hard to embrace
an outstretched arm,
to reach toward what turns you
in the opposite direction—
measuring lengths of space
to keep you at bay,
so far from the
emotional warmth
of center
& like Adam,
languid on the verdant firmament,
you feign indifference
to the spark
held just out of reach
this half-life
of connection—
a lonely gesture
of almost
Marcus Wilson is an MFA candidate in poetry at Lindenwood University and Associate Poetry Editor for Iron Horse Literary Review. Based in Vermont’s Green Mountains, he writes from experiences of neurodivergence and recovery, exploring memory, inner life, and transformation. His poems appear in Pulsebeat Poetry Journal, The RavensPerch, and TrashLight Press, as well as Lucky Jefferson, where he was named a finalist in the 2025 Poetry and Prose Contest.