shamefeast, by Herman Shorts | poems, essays, and short stories in Poeticous

Herman Shorts

Herman Shorts

shamefeast

better fucking

eat it all up. time

is getting drunk

& may puke, be

rude, before finally

slipping off to ruin

some other poorly–

run personal universe.

we’ll hold our applause

until we don’t, i guess.

until certainly not

a trick. a heavenly

escape, one idea

away does imply

inherent stupidity.

the bird is crow

& i’ll have seconds.

(2015)

Other works by Herman Shorts...

the nature of the enemy

if i stub my fucking toe it’s their fault so say i, and who could argue? you almost

you are guilty of failing to love and understand me, like a dog is guilty of failing to speak or use

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bring me things to break myself upon till

it by wasn't the told of so

life and even one good thing– anything, a course in wonders becomes? no school, thanks not for me. no lesson one so likes declaring to find itself legs. no

trying too hard

was all stupid. you weren’t that entertaining. i find it all only sad now, that

yes, there is a gap between us always has been now it is

cool this angst some with beer, amazing how it works, three in and suddenly ashamed that i could hate

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if you enjoy this pain, all expressions of it, being here compiled, then, yes enjoy them, but

1

simple fail, no malice aforethought

lie still. be quiet. please understand what happens so, next time

authority problem

root it out the tiny bit left that says someone’s in charge not you. don’t let it live

is there, then, a vortex?

shall we turn down the covers, crawl inside? find there a place that’s been waiting for us, a vortex of sorts

1

STEP BACK! There’s an infection you’ll get if you come any closer. It will open your eyes through the crust

america thinks i'm dead

like bell bottoms or disco but we need it to think i’m dead

to get it is not bothering to

every story, especially those promising finally to grant the square hat with tassels, is a load of shit. the god which

leaning into it

leaning into, not against it. no, decidedly for, yes, always that, no matter

1

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