Dead Meat ~ Tuesday, October 13, 2026

If forgotten, out of sight, out of mind
forget to care, get drunk, hard day at work

rotten little children, two boys to beat
older, firstborn, leave this son well alone
temple of the drunken father, tin box
ten, twenty, thirty years away, the ark
enter a covenant inside a boat
no one but Jesus Christ asleep, no faith

then history, a fox, a wraith, to tax
haunted houses in October, hollow
empty except for perceptions, to sense
nothingness in motion, noises, shallow

to speculate, exploit others by chance
observe the unspoken, events as truth

say an alcoholic cleans up his act
asinine lies, behaviors continue
yes, the drunk is sober, so to speak, no

spare tire rod, just in case, to concoct
pare down the skin from an apple, the flesh
as Apollo skins Marsyas, a nude
received, the curator shown to obey
examples of the past, learned behavior

the rules observed as catholic, to smash
his face with a backhand, old enough now
enter college a wreck, what therapy

rod in hand, trod the earth, well worn black shoes
only to walk a mile, dead man, rib eye
drenched in sweat from the bear at the briar

nothing much else to say but for sorrow
only, spoil the child, small as a sparrow