Off a Greek Isle
By Kent Neal
inside my chest
I make a space
then fill this cavity
with salted breeze
before I plunge
into the waves and twist
then spin as bubbles leave
between my open teeth
and rise I go beyond
the known into the depths
below until I reach
the bottom you grip
my hands to bend
me like a sailor’s hitch
unravel me dip
me down so low my head
almost touches the floor
pull me up
so close our lips meet
Kent Neal, a gay poet, has published three poetry collections: The Compass, the Labyrinth, and the Hourglass (2015), Where Saltwater Mixes With Freshwater (2017), and A Ray of Light in the Lion’s Eye (2021). He holds an MFA in Creative Writing from Lesley University. Originally from Oregon, Kent lives in Lyon, France. One of his poems won 6th place for non-rhyming poetry in the 2025 Writer’s Digest Annual Writing Competition. His work has appeared in The Hole In The Head Review, Bicoastal Review, Puerto del Sol, and elsewhere. Visit: http://www.kentneal.com
