dark winter blues

by J. J. Campbell

endless grief

on these days

cold, dark winter

blues ripping the

night open with

heartbreak and

despair

the old lovers

come armed

to the teeth

they are out

for their pound

of flesh

you’re too cool

to play the victim

the sharp tongue

ready for any

battle

certain assholes

know how much

fun it is to burn

the fucking bridges

with people still

on it

J.J. Campbell (1976 –?) is old enough to know better. He's been widely published over the years, most recently at Black Coffee Review, Synchronized Chaos, The Black Shamrock, Horror Sleaze Trash, and The Beatnik Cowboy. You can find him most days on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights. (https://evildelights.blogspot.com)

Joseph Richkus is an enthusiastic illustrator, photographer, writer, and reader. He has been an essential oil perfumer for more than 20 years, and has worked as a history teacher, chemist, security guard, and circus canvasman. He bemoans the limits of time and regrets that he is not 10 people, one of whom would happily devote every waking hour to reading the Sunday New York Times.