For The Taking

The only thing that’s bright
is all the light that leaks
through holes tore through
the woodwork. It projects
the damage onto the far wall.
They took a shotgun to it,
all of them, trying to get in
and give the filthy thief a lesson
in the ins and outs of fucking
with the livid.

No one ever learns their lessons
easily and if they claim to
then you haven’t heard it all.
The flag pole stands tall
and the golden ball at the top
of it has a face painted on it
in red. The eyes and smile
are dead and steadily fixed
on the roof of the school building.
It also had itself a pair of arms.

She collected charms and hung them
from her bracelet that she stole.
Her mother didn’t notice when they
walked around the mall.
She never really cared at all,
and if you asked her what she wanted
she would tell you that your questions
weren’t important.
They passed a man sleeping on his stomach
in the parking garage, and in a moment
that would always stay with her,
she kicked him until he couldn’t
even breath.