Joseph Hutchison

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Chained

Passion held him
like a dog on a leash.
—I. B. Singer

All night the neighbor's dog
yelps and yips and howls;

I want to shout Shut up!
But—how can I? After all,

it took me half my life to learn
to tolerate my own chain's weight.

Joseph Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate (2014-2019), has published 19 poetry collections, including THE WORLD AS IS: NEW & SELECTED POEMS, 1972-2015; MARKED MEN; BED OF COALS (Colorado Poetry Award winner); and the Colorado Governor's Award volume, SHADOW-LIGHT. A new collection, UNDER SLEEP'S NEW MOON, is forthcoming from NYQ Books. His poems, fiction, and essays have appeared in many anthologies and over 100 journals, including Agni Review, Cutthroat, JuxtaProse Literary Magazine, Kentucky Review, Pedestal Magazine, Poetry (Chicago), and Poetry Salzburg Review. He directs the Professional Creative Writing program at the University of Denver's University College.