Me and my two siblings met at the new mall, all
newish shoes, clean underwear,
someone else cuts our hair.
We made it out, we made out,
where the mountains aren’t.
Where a bookstore can keep
her nose above water.
Success in the U.S. of A..
Thursday, a drizzling rain,
a booth in a dark restaurant with the TV’s off.
Dawson was our server and he would be
serving us tonight and we were welcome, folks.
So, we met because sometimes that ticking sound gets loud.
We agreed, don’t put mom in a home.
We agreed. The food was pretty good.
Melanie said, ‘if I die first tell mom
I got more than I ever dreamed from this life.’
Al said ‘what is keeping us from moving to Africa?
We could do some good, right?’
Well, we all said. Hmm, we said.
There was an awkward silence, a space-time gasp.
We said of course animals have feelings.
We said we aren’t very special.
We agreed aliens wouldn’t notice us if they landed.
Art: 4 Sharks in 1 line, ink on canvas, 2021 by u/tfoust10
