Welcome to Gnat Smoke Press
Gnat Smoke Press is a publication company dedicated to bringing you the finest quality poetry and fiction from John Ryland. As a southern small press, we revel in southern hospitality and great southern writing. We are unique, perhaps a little quirky, but we always aim to please. Stay a while, have a look around, just be careful which curtain you pull back. Some of them are hiding ghosts.
Dead Lovers
My heart is the rain falling
down on rusted cars and people
who have drown.
I have helped the brokenhearted
to find their lonely deaths
slipping gently to the ground.
My hand is the fury within
to create or destroy all hearts
with long nights and jealousy.
Directly and not responsible
for all who dares to rise
and fall again to their knees.
So distant am I, never to touch
rain like tears from your eyes
looking for someone to blame.
I have not forgotten your soul
standing in the storm alone
blowing kisses to the rain.