consumed with death
they say i talk about
death too much
that all this doom is
not good for my soul
that makes me laugh
my life has been
consumed with
death since i was
four years old
imagine understanding
the concept fully before
ever going to kindergarten
don't get me wrong
i love love
love women, especially
the ones that love me
i would do anything to be
consumed by that but i am
not a lucky soul
i know my number will be
pulled soon enough
i don't have the money to live
like tomorrow doesn't exist
if that changes, oh boy
i might finally know what life
is like living by the seat of
your pants
----------------------------------------------------------------
cigarettes and cheap booze
fell asleep last night to
nina simone singing in
my ear
calling me a white devil
and making me laugh
under the piano in some
bar in paris
cigarettes and cheap
booze in the air
longing for the days
twenty years before
i was born
only for the music
though
i have no use for the
caveman thoughts in
humans
give me some chaos
of jazz and my animal
feels the only comfort
it finds possible
-------------------------------------------------------------
in early march
three dead after a tornado
hits indian lake in early
march
imagine that
a bunch of idiots that
don't believe in climate
change get hit by a
massive tornado, but
not in the summer
my empathy is getting
harder to find
--------------------------------------------------------------
across from the bathroom
sitting across from
the bathroom in the
waiting room here
at the hospital
if i was a junkie
or if i was in rehab
for being one
i can imagine this
could be quite the
test
for me, i'm just
hoping i don't
have the need
to take a shit
the waiting room
is getting crowded
-------------------------------------------------------------
for a rainy night
the old songs of leonard cohen certainly
set the mood for a rainy night
she had the longest legs you had ever
seen on a woman
fishnets, she must have read the poems
she would dangle her foot up against
my knee, hitting it playfully from
time to time
i whispered in her ear, as seductively as i could,
that if she kept this up, she was going to get
in trouble
right then, her husband called her name
from the kitchen
i laughed
she came back and handed me a glass of scotch,
whispered in my ear that she wasn't wearing
any panties
i licked my lips and took a sip, playfully placed
my hand on her thigh and started to slowly
investigate
she was telling the truth
i put that finger in my mouth and told her
she tasted like the morning dew
we slipped out into another room
and started to kiss
her husband found us right before all
the good shit started to happen
he asked me to leave before
he found the shotgun
i took the scotch with me
J.J. Campbell (1976 - ?) is old enough to know better. He's been widely published over the years, most recently at Black Coffee Review, The Asylum Floor, Horror Sleaze Trash, The Rye Whiskey Review and The Beatnik Cowboy. You can find him most days on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights. (https://evildelights.blogspot.com)
Nature's Sound
In the hush of dawn, the world awakes,
To the gentle sounds that nature makes.
A chorus of birds, in the canopy sings,
As the whispering wind, its message brings.
The rustle of leaves, in the ancient trees,
A soft, subtle hum, carried on the breeze.
The babble of brooks, over pebbles and stones,
In nature's orchestra, each has its tones.
The pitter-patter of rain, on the forest floor,
A rhythm, a beat, a natural encore.
The buzz of the bees, as they dance in the air,
A melody of life, without a single care.
Don Bormon is a student of grade nine in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.
An attractive bookshelf. A girl entered the room, holding a crimson flower in her hand. She was as elegant as the flower she held, and her face blushed at the same time. For some time, she was lost in sweet thoughts, and then she smelled the flower once more, took her favorite book from the shelf, and put the flower between its pages.
“Do you not think this place is too dark for a flower that grows under the generous sun, in the open blue sky?” she wondered. But the space was bright with boundless, pure light, and she knew it was the perfect spot for her beloved flower.
The book was amazing, and the girl was in awe of its beauty. “Wow! This flower is so beautiful and stunning,” she thought. “The fragrance emanating from it attracts all kinds of people.”
The book inadvertently talked to the flower: “You… You are exceptionally beautiful!”
“Hi there,” the flower replied. “I recognize you. When I was still in the garden, I heard a guy and a girl talking about you. They argued about you. They were so interested in you that I want to know more precisely what happened.”
The book, who was deeply in love with the flower, said that he would read the love story he had written.
Flower listened to the story every night with interest and pleasure. The story was about to end, but one day, the girl took the book from the shelf and went out to the garden to read it. Her eyes were filled with tears, and her heart was broken when she learned that the closest person she loved and respected had died.
As she read the book aloud, the tears that fell from her eyes blurred the writings on its pages. The book contained these verses:
“What are you, Love?!
Happiness or sadness?
These roads are broken, broken hearts.
In fact, the condition of love is this… Suffering.”
The girl could not stop crying and put the book on the ground. At that moment, a storm suddenly arose, and the wind blew the flower between the pages of the book far away.
I Suck Love
The spring walks around me
The flowers spread fragrance
The birds adorn each other
The gentle breeze changes time
The mountain sings the song of love
The fountain touches the gypsy girl
The river kisses the waves of the sea
The memories take place in the flute
The cowboy tends the sound of whisperings
The moon dances in the eyes of dream
The stars fly here and there
I suck love from the cup of Nature
And what is about you?
The Mind's Gambit
Part 2: The Confrontation
Inside the store, Max moved swiftly, his eyes scanning the glittering jewels displayed in glass cases. He carefully selected his targets, pocketing them with practiced ease.
Suddenly, the lights flickered on, and Reynolds emerged from the shadows, his gun drawn. "Freeze, Max! You're under arrest," he barked.
Max's smirk widened as he turned to face the detective. "Ah, Detective Reynolds, fancy meeting you here. You always did have a knack for showing up at the most inconvenient times."
Reynolds frowned, his grip tightening on his weapon. "Save it, Max. Your charm won't work on me. You're going away for a long time."
Part 3: The Negotiation
Max chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "Come now, Detective. Let's be reasonable here. You know as well as I do that you don't have enough evidence to put me away. But perhaps we can come to a mutually beneficial arrangement."
Reynolds hesitated, his mind racing. He knew Max was cunning, but he couldn't deny the truth in his words. Without concrete evidence, Max would walk free.
"Fine," Reynolds finally conceded. "But you're under my watch from now on. One wrong move, and I'll make sure you rot in jail."
Max grinned, extending his hand. "Deal."
Part 4: The Partnership
In the weeks that followed, an unlikely partnership formed between Max and Reynolds. Under the guise of cooperating with the police, Max continued his criminal activities, always staying one step ahead of the law.
As they worked together, Reynolds couldn't help but grudgingly admire Max's cunning and intelligence. Despite his criminal nature, there was something undeniably captivating about him.
But lurking beneath the surface, Reynolds remained vigilant, knowing that one wrong move could shatter their fragile alliance.
Part 5: The Betrayal
Months passed, and their partnership flourished, with Max becoming bolder in his heists and Reynolds growing more determined to bring him down.
But as they planned their biggest score yet, Reynolds began to suspect that Max was playing him all along, using their partnership as a means to an end.
Doubt gnawed at Reynolds' mind as he struggled to reconcile his growing admiration for Max with his duty as a police officer.
Part 6: The Showdown
The night of the heist arrived, tension crackling in the air as Max and Reynolds stood outside the bank, their eyes locked in a silent battle of wills.
But as they made their move, chaos erupted, and Reynolds realized too late that he had underestimated Max's ruthlessness.
In the heat of the moment, Max turned on Reynolds, his eyes cold as ice. "I'm sorry, Detective. But you were always too smart for your own good."
Before Reynolds could react, Max's gun fired, and darkness enveloped him.
Part 7: The Revelation
When Reynolds regained consciousness, he found himself bound and gagged, his head throbbing with pain. As he struggled against his restraints, Max loomed over him, a smirk playing on his lips.
"Surprised, Detective? You always thought you had me figured out, but you were wrong. I'm not just a criminal; I'm a master manipulator."
Reynolds seethed with rage, his eyes burning with fury. "You won't get away with this, Max. I'll make sure of it."
Part 8: The Escape
With a chuckle, Max stepped back, leaving Reynolds alone in the darkness. But as he turned to leave, Reynolds saw his opportunity, seizing it with all the strength he had left.
With a burst of adrenaline, Reynolds broke free from his restraints, lunging at Max with a fierce determination. Caught off guard, Max stumbled backward, his composure faltering for the first time.
But before Reynolds could land the final blow, Max regained his footing, delivering a swift kick to Reynolds' chest, sending him sprawling to the ground once more.
Part 9: The Revenge
As Reynolds lay battered and bruised on the cold pavement, Max loomed over him, his gaze filled with contempt. "You should have known better, Detective. No one outsmarts me."
But as Max raised his gun, ready to deliver the final blow, Reynolds saw his chance, his hand darting out to grab a nearby weapon.
With a roar of defiance, Reynolds fired, the gunshot echoing through the night as Max crumpled to the ground, his reign of terror finally at an end.
Part 10: The Aftermath
As dawn broke over the city, Reynolds stood victorious, his heart heavy with the weight of his actions. Though he had stopped Max, he knew that the scars of their encounter would never fully heal.
But as he looked out at the city skyline, Reynolds knew that he had upheld his duty as a police officer, bringing justice to those who sought to disrupt the peace.
And though Max may have been cunning and manipulative, in the end, it was Reynolds' unwavering determination that prevailed, proving that even in the darkest of times, light will always triumph over darkness.
Nahyean Taronno is a student of grade eight in Harimohan Government High School, Chapainawabganj, Bangladesh.
