Breathing dangerously
We used to practice holding our breath in the dirty
pond behind my house, counting the seconds
like lightyears. One, two, three. ( ) A hundred
& twelve. A hundred & thirteen. Do you remember
how my mom came running out of the house
that one time? How she thought we’d drowned?
But we just popped out of the scummy water
like a couple of Jesus bugs. Don’t worry, I said.
We don’t know how to die. & you just laughed
& laughed & smeared some mud on my skinny chest.
pond behind my house, counting the seconds
like lightyears. One, two, three. ( ) A hundred
& twelve. A hundred & thirteen. Do you remember
how my mom came running out of the house
that one time? How she thought we’d drowned?
But we just popped out of the scummy water
like a couple of Jesus bugs. Don’t worry, I said.
We don’t know how to die. & you just laughed
& laughed & smeared some mud on my skinny chest.
The sky the sky the sky
I was born three times
before my mother finally
got it right. Do you remember
reading about thunder? Do you
remember how to pronounce
inanimate? I open my mouth
& three birds escape. This is
the opposite of sorrow.
before my mother finally
got it right. Do you remember
reading about thunder? Do you
remember how to pronounce
inanimate? I open my mouth
& three birds escape. This is
the opposite of sorrow.
A boy bargaining
I don’t want you to worry, but I feel
like cutting my ring fingers off. Half
human, half something else. A wolf
is a wolf is a wolf is a wolf, you know.
Running wild & gathering into light forever.
Close your eyes. A little splash goes deeper
& deeper. This tiny forest wants to eat us
alive. Open your eyes. Can I kiss you?
like cutting my ring fingers off. Half
human, half something else. A wolf
is a wolf is a wolf is a wolf, you know.
Running wild & gathering into light forever.
Close your eyes. A little splash goes deeper
& deeper. This tiny forest wants to eat us
alive. Open your eyes. Can I kiss you?
Mason Shreve lives in Indiana with his one-eyed cat. His works have appeared in Word Riot, 491 Magazine, and Epigraph Review, among others. He almost always has a beard.
