People believe it's a lifestyle full of black capes
and young necks,
but it's become more like drinking pennies
someone held in their palm too long,
and the neighbor's kids wake me up
every afternoon. Haven't had a solid eight hour
sleep in years, but if I suck them dry,
it'll create too much attention
(got to be smart to stay alive
this long), so I'm the cranky guy
next door, who bangs on their door
at seven PM, yells about working
back-shift at a rest home,
how my lawn was greener
before they moved in, and
their mortal eyes can only pretend
to understand (which might be the best
one can do with their limited amount of time).
I can't even afford move
because I lost all my savings
in a pyramid scheme years ago.
RICHARD LEDUE (he/him) was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, but currently lives in Norway House, Manitoba with his wife and son. His poems have appeared in various publications throughout 2020, and more is forthcoming throughout 2021. His first chapbook, “The Loneliest Age,” was released by Kelsay Books in autumn 2020, and a second chapbook, “The Kind of Noise Worth Writing Down,” is forthcoming in early 2022 from Kelsay Books.