Steven never forgot
The time at the fair
When he won the ring toss
But lost his dad

Have you seen my dad?
His name is Whensle
Steven told the carnies

but the carnies
so cruelly
told him
*Whensle is a girl's name

outside
Steven sits on his
swing set
wondering
wondering
he calls to his dog Juicer
but he doesn't answer
only the wind
in the old pepper tree
makes a requiem of
filth
for that
filthy dog

dog

But isn't dog
mans
best
fiend?

An old man
hair white with age
came to me
by the docks

excuse me
he said shakily
do you know Steven?
I must
deliver his gravy
I am
His gravy man

I turned
and heaved a sigh,
staring at my
reflection
in the water below

you silly fellow
I said,
I never told
my wife that
I have
hep-c,
you should not
ask me for
*advice

The milk
dribbled down Steven's right arm.

what in tarnation am i doing?
he thought to himself

his mom's tiny shoes
tiptoed up to his room

****

he started to ****
and turned on the flourescent light

what's going on in there?
he heard her whisper
through her moldy teeth

Steven woke up
with a fork in his
eye
"******"
he said
as he
scratched his ****
"****"