1/8 of a tank
Editor @ October 1, 2009 # 2 Comments
1/8 OF A TANK
by nicole kuwik
after arriving late to a party and
holding my very
intelligent
friend’s hair,
we are sitting
in a yellow
upstairs room
“My highschool teacher died scuba diving
in those caves, he
ran out of air”
“They found a bunch of
19 year olds in there,
they found them holding hands”
someone makes a joke about rigor mortis,
and I have to excuse myself,
the kitchen [...]
More on page 4804
outside of the atm
Editor @ July 10, 2009 # 12 Comments
OUTSIDE OF THE ATM
by nicole kuwik
I watch his pupils dialate
as he yells “FUCK!” outside
of the ATM
A lady clutching a baby
stares like a baboon as she
exits the steakhouse and I look away
It’s six o’ clock on a Saturday
and we want to make transfers
for cheap wine and movies, and
we want 800 numbers
to work without the 1s
Holding his [...]
More on page 3921
i barely touched him
Messenger Bird @ May 27, 2009 # One Comment
I BARELY TOUCHED HIM
by nicole kuwik
Saving bats
with your bare hands
just might get you
rabies unless a boy
with a piece of tagboard
walks by to yell at you
“DON’T TOUCH IT I’M GOING TO
THROW IT OFF THE SIDE!!!!!”
You stop him of course
and there’s a baseball game
on Wednesday,
but with global warming
and all, and this new
fear of infection,
it may be best [...]
More on page 3514
OXYGEN
Messenger Bird @ May 7, 2009 # 7 Comments
OXYGEN
by nicole kuwik
I remember this
one time on vacation
when my PapaPaul had
said something that made
us all pair up and
leave him
standing by the rental car,
But then
his emphazema started
to bother him and
I remember the look
in his eyes when
he just
couldn’t
get enough air
Well, the other night
after all that
clear, clear liquor and
all those H2O tears,
I caught that look
gasping into the mirror,
and [...]
More on page 3280
the current state of things
Messenger Bird @ April 11, 2009 # One Comment
THE CURRENT STATE OF THINGS
by nicole kuwik
One .96 cent bank
account and a
hot pursuit of a
box of pasta
and a boy with earrings
But come on,
who can believe
red-truck declarations
in a black dress at
something like 1
in the morning when
the beach is to the right
and parking is free?
$4.50 is too much
for a vodka-soda,
I’m sorry
Call me tomorrow.
More on page 2893
i wonder if i am completely wasted
Messenger Bird @ June 18, 2008 # 2 Comments
i wonder if i am completely wasted
by nicole kuwik
as I stand in my doorway
in sunglasses
and golf cart putters by
full of potential residents and
a blonde
Representative
named Heather or Britney
who does not wave
I note the rats behind the fence
and wonder if tomorrow
I will find a piece of paper
folded in half and
stuck in my door
notifying me
that it has recently
been [...]
More on page 543
Applesauce and Brown Sweater in the Morning
Messenger Bird @ May 8, 2008 # 3 Comments
Applesauce and Brown Sweater in the Morning
by nicole kuwik
Garbage trucks
sound like school busses
until they start picking things up but
hearing them
stop
outside your floor-level window
at the dumpster across from your door still
makes you feel like you are missing
something
More on page 495
HERE KITTYKITTY KITTY?
Messenger Bird @ April 8, 2008 # One Comment
HERE KITTYKITTY KITTY?
by nicole kuwik
So my roomate wants the air
to measure s e v e n t y d e g r e e sss
all the time and I’m
freezing but
I sleep with this big cat who thinks I am
a raccoon and he is fuzzy and very warm but
he has been doing something
else these past few [...]
More on page 465