Rooms

Room A: The room where you watched the sun set with a dyslexic boy you named Squirrle

Room B: The room where your rejected lover tapped a Morse code against his shaved head

Room C: The room where your father-on-parole hid his little tin men under your bed. At night, they marched and drummed and sang German beer songs until you cried Uncle

Room D: The room where Penny dropped her glass eye and you could never hold her in the same way

Room E: When you’re 3 sizes too big for everything and can’t stretch backwards or sideways, you’ll reconstruct the room as floating space

Room F: Where you shared popcorn with a pickpocket who snuck rare coins into your dirty jeans

Room G: Where your brother returned home with his junkie love

Room H: The visiting nun who forgot to close the door to your room and left you to melt

Room I: When the room collapses from a fire, you are lighter than ash

Room J: The room where a boy named Jesus played banjo until your knees bled

Room K: The room where you gave birth to another room

That 70s Show

It was different then. We were as careless as near sighted thieves. We drank rock & rye until our hearts were too water-logged to beat an even rhythm. We dated people who didn’t believe our real names. We re-invented ourselves in the dark and couldn’t see what we made. We finally met again adrift in an empty ocean. “Are you floating alone?” an old friend asked me. “Yes,” I said, still am.” He smiled wistfully the way he once did.

All-Night Diner

Today’s special: Death at a discount

Choices: charcoal broiled, braised, fried with onions,

or just quick & dry.

served with truffles and parsley echoes.

Orange mushrooms too, if you prefer.

Family Guy

you took the rap

for your starry-eyed

father who never

learned how to swim

or how to collect

snowflakes in a

petri dish.

they hung you

from a cloud

A Ku for Emily

The warmth of your mouth

My words form couplets & thaw

Mars Brocke has been published in Otolith, Ink in Thirds, and elsewhere. He loves old garage bands of the 60s and still adores Iggy Pop. He also loves soft-serve ice cream.