a sense of calm
 
it's bad art
on muted
walls
 
carpet meant
to lull you
into a sense
of calm
 
as long as
you don't
mind being
fucking crazy
 
the chairs
might as
well be a
bed of nails
 
and not the
kind of nails
you would
like leaving
marks on
your back
----------------------------------------------------------------
much better off
 
i gave up smoking
nearly fifteen years
ago
 
my doctor says i
should be happy
that my lungs are
much better off
 
i laugh and say
the weight gain
and the bitter
asshole deep
within killed
happiness
years ago
 
i'm sure one day
he’s going to tell
me to take some
pill
 
he knows currently
 
i'd sell them
----------------------------------------------------------------------
searching for a vein
 
i'm losing
my interest
in life
 
all the
beautiful
women
have
already
said no
 
hell, even
the ugly ones
aren't interested
anymore
 
pretty soon,
i'll be alone
and searching
for a vein
 
but i know
my luck
 
the first one
won't kill me
 
my soul likes
the taste of
agony
---------------------------------------------------------------------
enjoy it while they can
 
the winter doom and gloom
 
piled a few feet high in
every parking lot
 
we haven't seen it like
this in years
 
the kids seem to love it
 
at least the ones that are
too young to have to shovel
the driveways and sidewalks
 
i give them the look that
means to enjoy it while
they can
 
enough years in this place
and you'll understand why
i have a bad back
-----------------------------------------------------------------
that first kiss
 
snow showers
in the morning
 
turn the ac back
on by the weekend
 
getting lost in the
memories of the
first love
 
that first kiss
 
the first time
fooling around
under the bleachers
 
life was a problem
for everyone else
back then
 
and now you realize
you haven't seen each
other in over a decade
 
time doesn't heal
 
it eliminates
 
breaks every soul
one second at a time

J.J. Campbell (1976 – ?) was raised by wolves but graduated high school with honors. He’s been widely published over the years, most recently at Yellow Mama, Terror House Magazine, The Beatnik Cowboy, Horror Sleaze Trash and Cajun Mutt Press. You can find him most days on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights. (https://evildelights.blogspot.com)