DRECK

ANDREW BUCKNER

THE VERBAL REINS

i love you
but you
clearly don’t value
or think
my work, my writing,
the blood I turn daily
from stone
is important enough to
give a cursory glance,

a quick look through

and I wonder if it’s your own
love
of me that has turned you
away from me
in this manner
out of fear of disappointment
out of not being able to
love
something that means so much to

and is such an essential part of me

or if your interest
can’t even be
feigned—-
a horse choked by his
own emotions, eloquent
neighs
and, therefore, forced to
bite down on the rough edge
of his own master,

the verbal reins.

Andrew Buckner is a multi award-winning poet, filmmaker, and screenwriter from Ohio. His short dark comedy/horror script “Dead Air!” won Best Original Screenwriter at the fourth edition of The Hitchcock Awards. His recent volume of verse The Burden of All the Beautiful Things was a finalist in the Poetry - General section of the 2024 American Writing Awards. Buckner also received second place in the Literary - Coming of Age category of the Spring 2025 Bookfest Book Awards competition for his novella Exitus Marquee. A two-time semifinalist in Alien Buddha Press’ annual Horror Showdown, Buckner’s book, The God in Me Will Emerge: Poems, recently received third place in the Poetry - Contemporary category of the Fall 2025 Bookfest Book Awards. Also a noted critic, actor, and experimental musician, Buckner runs and writes for the review site AWordofDreams.com.