((( GEHENNAS OF WRETCHED SQUAWL by Leif Haven)))

TOOTHPASTE

we couldn’t afford toothpaste
everybody had teeth like pennies
dropped in coke but everybody had leather
jackets the color of fresh nickles
minted almost yesterday and almost all
the music anybody made was a
fresh caught fish flapping around
my chest waiting to be brained
but when I came home a big brown turtle
would be sitting on my bed, stretching its
neck and not saying anything.
the turtle on my bed is trying out its beak like
tt’s the first time, and I was having
trouble breathing my hands were shaking
and my knees were weak, bring me
home kentucky rain, and I can’t seem to stand
on my own to feet. Something happened with time
that I didn’t like. Back at the place, all shook up,
all I could do was sleep.


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