
MAINTENANCE by Nicholas Claro
I got a call from a friend of a friend back home in Arkansas while waiting in line at the CVS, telling me our friend was in hospice.

I got a call from a friend of a friend back home in Arkansas while waiting in line at the CVS, telling me our friend was in hospice.

To prove that I was not a victim of grand larceny by way of The Incredible Madame Eustacia like Channel 2 News is falsely claiming, I will demonstrate the following: a) that the Incredible Madame Eustacia was not a fraud and that b) despite relying on crowdfunding for next month’s rent, her advice was worth the cost.

Bad news is prose allows only so much empty space. Good news is poetry allows lots and lots of breathing space.

The bear looks up the school the baby will one day attend and leaves messages for the administrator, asking how soon is too soon to start the admissions process.

Up there, euphoria is brewing, and I decide it’s just for me.

He said he knew the best way to escape. He wouldn’t just sit back as the cops put handcuffs on their wrists.

Her older sister Kathleen is on the clams casino diet. Her younger sister Nina is on the tap dance diet. Each sister thinks the others are crazy for eating the way they do and each sister says so.

You hook up with Danny in a boys’ room stall after rock band practice the day he tells you when you hold the mike close to your lips it’s like you’re going down on it.

If this wasn’t serious business, you’d laugh your butt off because it looks like the chicken is wearing lipstick and the shine on its feathers makes you think of gel on jet black hair.

He held the baggy towards me, flexing its mouth, wafting the pungent vapours. It was barely a ‘teenth, not worth 30, but I bought it.