BASEMENT SHADOWS

by Aaron Banks

The flashlight is 
glaring through night 
like a daytime shadow. 

Bored with a torch 
as the spaceman 
locates his footing. 

The distraction 
foraging wonder. 
Paralyzed focus 

on a wall, while a 
daze of yawn speech. 
A Howl for water. 

A howling father. 
No sign of flinch 
rooted in shadow. 

Mine, a better father. 
My daughters, in bed. 
I, all puppet motions: 

dog, alligator, golden-
footed woodpecker,
two nine-foot fingers 

saunter barely below 
the drop ceiling. 
The light, bending 

desires into corners,
as graceful angles bathe 
in shades of pencil. 

Aaron Banks was born and raised in Rochester, NY, where he still lives with his wife and two daughters. He received his MFA from Warren Wilson in 2022 and works at the University of Rochester as an academic advisor for their Ronald E. McNair program. He is seeking publication for his first poetry collection, Cottonwood Man, And is working on a new poetry project and short essays. He can be contacted via email: aabanks118@gmail.com