James Burton

CONTACT:
Email: burtonjamesd@gmail.com

BIO:
James lives in Sheboygan with his wife and two dogs, and he teaches special education. He was born and raised in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin. He began working with poetry for personal joy while attending UW-Eau Claire. After attending university, he chose to work in South Korea for more than a year. His wanderlust also led him to obtaining dual citizenship between the United States and Luxembourg. The variety of experiences he’s had the luck to have leeches into his poetry.

His favorite forms of poetry are ones that have strong structures. His favorite is villanelle. Structure adds a layer of rigidity that forces his writing to adapt. Through that adaptation, the stories and writing changes to take on a life of its own. He likes it when his writing grows into itself.

PUBLICATIONS:
James has been published in From Everywhere a Little: A Migration Anthology and as a contributing editor to several issues of Poetry Hall.

Poetry

Murray

I have found myself among a new home
They have fed me and treated me as one
of their own; I found myself a new home

I walk through the halls and am afraid of
the freedom with which I am able to
walk around; what change will be in that room

I lay in a bed they have made for me
and stare at the wall, confused as the calm
colors flood my eyes, blue walls and gray sheets

I cry into the dark at the blue walls
my comfort is too great, sure it will go;
it's been ten years, the sheets are now yellow

the walls are still blue, it happens less now
but I still cry at the walls, I wrap up
in the yellow comforter that I bought