1Poem by Michael Mirolla

Puzzling over the fate of black holes

Puzzling over the fate of black holes
reminds me of all the information
we lose as we move along those waves
we create that do very little to bend
time and space but make us feel like we’re there
right where the action is – or would be.

Puzzling over the fate of black holes
brings to mind an emergency room baby
next to a vomiting centenarian.
neither as disturbing as the man
in a wheelchair with ear glued to cell phone.

Puzzling over the fate of black holes
relieves me of the duty to concern myself
with the meaning of life and instead
concentrate on learning monty python
skits by heart, the ins and outs of occasional
poetry, and why and why not gravel paths.



Bionote

The author of more than two dozen novels, plays, film scripts and short story and poetry collections, MICHAEL MIROLLA’s publications include a novella, The Last News Vendor, winner of the 2020 Hamilton Literary Award, as well as three Bressani Prizes: the novel Berlin; the poetry collection The House on 14th Avenue; and the short story collection Lessons in Relationship Dyads. His latest poetry collection, At the End of the World, was short-listed for the 2022 Hamilton Literary Award. In the fall of 2019, Michael served a three-month writers residency at the Historic Joy Kogawa House in Vancouver. A symposium on Michael’s writing was held in Toronto on May 25, 2023. In September of 2023, Michael took part in a writers residency in Olot, Catalonia. In July 2024, Michael participated in a month-long writers residency in Barcelona. Born in Italy and growing up in Montreal, Michael now makes his home outside the town of Gananoque in the Thousand Islands area of Ontario.