the bus stop is missing its benches and trash cans
scars remain on the sidewalks
women talking on cell phones
crossing against the lights
trot across the plastic faux-brick sidewalks
fat men in knit shirts lumber slowly along
their mouths hanging open
traffic slows to a stop
young women wear tight clothes
their buttons straining
we are the children of soldiers
our breath is labored
our sky is gray
(Copyright 2023 by Tetman Callis.)
my name’s the quarter-a-day habit
and i’m not much fun to live with
i don’t pick up after myself
do the dishes
empty the trash
clean the house
or put the clothes away
or make the bed
clean the toilet
wash the car
or rake the yard
it should go without saying
but in case it doesn’t
i don’t do windows
i’m a lazy little bitch
really bad with money
and a terrible waster of time
but i’m a great fuck
if you’re into my kind of fuck
which you will be if we do
(Copyright 2023 by Tetman Callis.)
“Women should not live long in the houses of their paternal or maternal relations. Such residence is destructive of their reputation, their good conduct, their virtue.” – The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa, Vol. I, Sambhava Parva of the Adi Parva, trans. Pratap Chandra Roy