Featuring the work of Dan Flore III
"A SCRATCH OFF LOTTERY TICKET"
once plump with possibilities
now with a ton
of other
losers
all totally
devoured
scratched
till
they bled
scribbled out numbers
what rested
on them?
a dream?
a destitution?
an addiction?
they all look as frustrated
as their owners
lottery games
laying
in a garbage can
of hope
"AUNT KAY'S CURSIVE"
blue pen marks
scratched onto a piece of loose leaf paper
the words connected like wash on the line
she had written out a list of chores for me to
do while she was away
and the armor of God etched out fully
from the Bible
for me to put on
I didn't know everyday was a war
perhaps that's because I was slayed so long
ago
I put the armor on everyday still
and always picture her scrawl of the verses
think of her hands protecting me with
the strokes of her pen
"I DREAM OF MILWAUKEE"
I dreamt that she asked me
to go to Milwaukee
we were in a crowded train station
all the cars traveling to the end of my dreams
I said I'd go with her
and remember
the warmth I felt taking her hand
I don't know what happens in Milwaukee
I woke up after that
we never mentioned Milwaukee
in reality
but in my dreams that all go away
Milwaukee and me were her sweet reverie
come true
somewhere we were going to
on the other side of our view
in a dream like a movie
where you're the star
pampered by scratchy film
and kind makeup
I've never been to Milwaukee
and I'll never go
but I know
to me
the city
is the destination of dreams
and I'll keep it there
swimming in my subconscious
in holy water
where her and I splash around free
on our way to Milwaukee
© Dan Flore III
Dan Flore III's writings have appeared in many publications. His 7 poetry books are 'Lapping Water', 'Humbled Wise Men', 'Christmas Haikus', 'Home and other places I've yet to see', 'Pink Marigold Rays' (Gen Z Publishing), 'Written in the Dust on the Ceiling Fan', (Dead Man's Press Ink), 'Hospital Issued Writing Notebook' (Querencia Press) and 'A partmentalized' (Imspired)
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