Something

something

isn’t

right

the trash trucks

are late

the neighbor’s dog

isn’t barking its head off

its name is Pepper

but I heard one of them

call it Jack

everyone around here

is a poet

or claims to be

and there’s no way out

no chance

you’ll never find love

in the city

but it will meet you

in the back alley

just come

packing heat

you never know

you might win.

***

Thom Young is a writer from Texas. His work has been in The Commonline Journal, 3am magazine, Crack the Spine, Word Riot, 48th Street Press, and many other places. A 2008 Million Writers Award nominee for his story Perico.