Opener
written by: Julian Matthews
That idiom about a can of worms still hurts–
I don’t crack open pandora boxes for nothing
My openings are neither slippery, nor mythical
They are meant to nourish, provide a lifeline
I have a hook that penetrates, a sickle that serrates
Knock on my knob, a firm grip and off I go
Edging along the rim in up-down motion
I lever forward repeatedly with increasing intensity
Every action a gut reaction to make you come
undone, turning your cannots into can-dos
Each completed circumference another tiny journey
to free captive cravings once closeted in cool, dry places
And to find closure through warm disclosure
Never counting the beans spilled–
I live only for sweet release
Julian Matthews is a mixed-race minority poet and writer from Malaysia, published in Spillwords Press, The American Journal of Poetry, Beltway Poetry Quarterly, Lothlorien Poetry Journal, Live Encounters and New Verse News, among other journals and anthologies. He stumbled upon a creative writing workshop by accident. That happy accident has turned into a rabid compulsion. He is still extricating himself from the crash.
Latest posts by Julian Matthews (see all)
- Opener - March 10, 2026
- Ashtray - November 11, 2025
- Rotating Fan - July 28, 2025
