Stunned

Just when you think you need it least, something below average happens. At other times, everything looks so ordinary, you realize it can’t be helped. It’s like a hidden agenda. All last week, I hardly recognized myself. I have a crowded mind, but it’s well below the quota.

At the uniform store, nothing fit me, so I conversed with myself a few times and left empty-handed. I had a bad taste in my mouth.

Later, at Melinda’s, Brandi ran around, a quarter-dressed and half-cocked. Nobody likes her, not even her latest husband. She was waving around Melinda’s Glock. Who wants some real acupuncture, she asked?

Say, how fast does your blood pump? I feel like I’ve been running uphill for at least a week. Used to think it was because I have too much energy, but Brandi swears it’s because I never know when to stop.

Brad Rose was born and raised in Los Angeles, and lives in Boston. He is the author of three collections of poetry and flash fiction, Pink X-Ray (Big Table Publishing, 2015), de/tonations, (Nixes Mate Press, 2020), and Momentary Turbulence (Cernvena Barva Press, 2020). Two new books of prose poems, WordinEdgeWise from Cerven Barva Press and No. Wait. I Can Explain. from Pelekinesis Press, are forthcoming in 2022. Brad is also the author of seven poetry chapbooks, including the recently released Collateral and Funny You Should Ask. Brad’s poetry has appeared in, The Los Angeles Times, The American Journal of Poetry, New York Quarterly, Cloud Bank, Into the Void, and other publications. (A complete list of publications is available at: http://bradrosepoetry.com/2019/03/a-list-of-publications/ ) . His story “Desert Motel,” appears in Best Microfiction, 2019. Brad’s website is: www.bradrosepoetry.com Selected readings are available at http://bradrosepoetry.com/audio-readings/

KJ Hannah Greenberg has been playing with words and images for an awfully long time. Check out her poetry and art book, One-Handed Pianist (Hekate Publishing, 2021).