photo: ralph murre
90-proof
angels
by
t. kilgore splake
child’s tiny fingers letting go,
bottles smashing against concrete sidewalk
squares,
shiny
glass shards flying,
hard vacant stare, taut sun-bronzed skin,
rigid
“don’t hurt” posture,
angels falling to earth early this sunday
morning,
wings shattering,
absent for saving other, pious
church-going
masses,
smug narrow personas, already so damn
sure.
~
previously published in winter river
flowing (Presa Press)
