A.J. Huffman

Acts of Carrion


Suburbia has been invaded!
Dozens of vultures declared three
blocks their territory.  Old lady watches
as they swoop, rise, descend
again, sizing her up.  Prey or foe?
Apparently having decided on the latter,
they attack, become feathered missiles
blowing huge holes in her pool house.
She shooed them away with shovel,
got reprimanded, threatened by animal
control.  They are protected.
You’ll go to jail if you do it again.
Disgusted she called her insurance company,
hoping for quick repair.  They were apologetic,
but firm.  I’m so sorry,
but your policy does not cover
acts of carrion.



A.J. Huffman has published thirteen full-length poetry collections, fourteen solo poetry chapbooks and one joint poetry chapbook through various small presses.  Her most recent releases, The Pyre On Which Tomorrow Burns (Scars Publications), Degeneration (Pink Girl Ink), A Bizarre Burning of Bees (Transcendent Zero Press), and Familiar Illusions (Flutter Press) are now available from their respective publishers.  She is a five-time Pushcart Prize nominee, a two-time Best of Net nominee, and has published over 2600 poems in various national and international journals, including Labletter, The James Dickey Review, The Bookends Review, Bone Orchard, Corvus Review, EgoPHobia, and Kritya.  She is the founding editor of Kind of a Hurricane Press.