when I was in jr. high
this guy
Robbie
slashed my arm open
with a pen knife
in science class
so I picked up a table
threw it at him
pinned him against
the cupboards
and beat his face in
I got suspended
with my arm bleeding
all over the floor
I was grounded
from TV
video games
phone
friends
everything
but one day
I had to go to the mall
with my mom
so she could return something
leaving me home alone
was out of the question
we passed an arcade
she asked if I wanted to go in
I was confused
thought it a trap
but we did
my mom and I
played skee-ball
shot the clown heads
air hockey
some video games
my mom actually played
with me
she smiled
she laughed
she had fun
that was the first and only time
she had ever done that
so now
years and years later
no matter
how bad she treats me
how much she loves Trump
how much she thinks I’m a disappointment
how much we fight…
I’ll still have that day
at the arcade with her
Get your copy of FINGERING THE MUNDANE my early poems. It’s a collection of 6 out of print chapbooks. 250 pages of poetry!
