Angry slash of noontide sun
across my porch-blotted face,
"It's like a ********* recipe,"
says Mike, leaning against
his van after we finished
the Montana flooring.
"Play sports, work in the sun,
you're young and ripped.
Date all the girls, or guys -
whatever. Then you find
drink, or drink finds you.
Life being what it is, someone
hurts you pretty bad. You drink
a little more. Then you're
here, fat with age, stuffed
with grief and who knows
what else, happy for a minute
when the moon is full
or something. How many
people did I just name?"
I confessed: dozens
we knew, both of us included.
"It's so predictable."
We stare at the black sway
of power lines as the wind
picks up. The sun smears,
we leave the attic work
for next time. I run away
across streaming silver cars
into the lonely ear of night.
May 17
May 17, 2026 at 12:36 PM UTC
Angry slash of noontide sun
across my porch-blotted face,
"It's like a ********* recipe,"
says Mike, leaning against
his van after we finished
the Montana flooring.
"Play sports, work in the sun,
you're young and ripped.
Date all the girls, or guys -
whatever. Then you find
drink, or drink finds you.
Life being what it is, someone
hurts you pretty bad. You drink
a little more. Then you're
here, fat with age, stuffed
with grief and who knows
what else, happy for a minute
when the moon is full
or something. How many
people did I just name?"
I confessed: dozens
we knew, both of us included.
"It's so predictable."
We stare at the black sway
of power lines as the wind
picks up. The sun smears,
we leave the attic work
for next time. I run away
across streaming silver cars
into the lonely ear of night.
