Donne, I am not proud

By Alex Deng

Donne, I am not proud, though some have called me 

a god, pitiless and powerful—no,

I feel no power when I take your soul.

I am condemned to this work, can't you see? 

I'll feel pain for much longer than you will.

No matter what, all things start to grow old 

towed away at the end of my robes. 

This will be forever; there's no until. 

Don't paint me as uncaring or heartless;

I have seen it all. The champagne sunsets,

the light coming off two lovers, the wars,

generations of hatred and darkness, 

I feel it all. And Time? Still so much more.

Alex Deng was born in Guangzhou, China and raised in Toronto, Canada. He loves eating noodles and reading poetry. Alex has appeared in Chickenscratch 2024, an anthology of Trent University student writing, and The Scarlet Review, a literary journal out of California State University, Northridge.