Michael Grove

INTRODUCTORY DREAM THEORY

I.

I got me one
of those partial
dentures, so I'm
only partially fucked
up. If you ask
my mom, she'll say
otherwise, but that's
her prerogative. A bottle
of peroxide, tide
pods & candy hearts
mashed into the carpet:
a list of the
ways I can tell
you visited while
I was napping
the day away. 

II.

Lazer cats? More like worm
food if you fast forward
the tape. But that can be
said for all of us: humming
birds & teens all lose
their glamour, even when
they volunteer at food
banks once a week, helping
the elderly load their SUVs
before they recklessly drive
them back to the five & dime. 

III.

It isn't funny, but I'm still
laughing - what else can I
do? The dog won't stop
humping the teddy bear, & who
exactly is getting hurt
by all this? The movie theater
lights are low & the popcorn
bucket is bottomless (if the girl
at the concession stand is to be believed).

 IV.

& then, suddenly, we're butterflies
dodging ravens, trainspotting for
anchors we can slip over our
sockets - fashion police be damned.

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Michael Grove is a Brooklyn based teacher and writer.  His work has appeared in Downtown Brooklyn, Brooklyn Paramount, and a few other places that don't have Brooklyn in the title.  He maintains a collection of flash fiction and essays on subcultures and new media at digitalonanism.blogspot.com.