A small, blonde haired child peers into a mirror
his reflection shows a short beard--
dark brown hair with streaks of gray.

He just finished eating ice cream
in a room where his Aunt suffered
until death.
The toppings were sprinkles
and the lies his parents told him about the day she died.


In the reflection,
the little child noticed a picture of a woman
he’s never met.
But throbbing, sleepless headaches
And $5 red wine breath from the reflection
say otherwise.

He draws cuts on his wrists to remember her in the future.


His superhero and wrestling action figures
are strewn about in ****** positions
he doesn’t know about. Yet.    

When the power goes out--
TV stays on.
The little boy watches silver orbs drill into someone’s head
while hugging his power rangers blanket.
In his head
he recites  David Lynch’s Alphabet.

The scent of hotcakes lingers in the air.
Before dissipating,
Uncle mumbles
about the deaths of the child's siblings
that haven't happened.

Little child was given money
by grandparents,
For church,
but it smells like ****.
In the background,
the reflection has portraits of Ginsberg and William Godwin.