Each soul is spawned
     and birthed
               pristine

but it’s a steady decline
         from the first breath on
      until eventually
                complete deterioration
                          kicks in

I’m learning
       how to not
    take it personally

Scott Thomas Outlar is originally from Atlanta, Georgia. He now lives and writes in Frederick, Maryland. His work has been nominated multiple times for both the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. He guest-edited the Hope Anthology of Poetry from CultureCult Press as well as the 2019-2023 Western Voices editions of Setu Mag. Selections of his poetry have been translated and published in 14 languages. He has been a weekly contributor at Dissident Voice for the past eight and a half years.