Nathan Tompkins

Duck and Cover

In the time of duck and cover,

they taught us ICBMs

would poison our breath.

So hide beneath the school desks,

fingers woven to the back of the neck,

and never watch the sun explode

as it finger paints your shadows on the wall.

Let your hair fall out.

Let your gums bleed,

Let the nightmares

weep into your pillow

in this time

of duck and cover.

Shut In

Here the forever twilight of

every sin melts childhood dreams,

as the seconds click through their revolution.

I can almost hear the muted speech

behind thin walls beg me to swallow

25 milligram angels

trapped in child proof bottles,

as the seconds click through their revolution.

Unable to sleep, my weariness imprisons

my guilt, my failures, my dreams

drowned in last night’s whiskey breath.

Soon the voices move on

reaching for self medicated parole,

and the seconds click...

Bio: Nathan Tompkins writes things.  His work has appeared in many places, including Menacing Hedge, Hobo Camp Review, and Five2One.  His latest chapbook, Howl Drunkenly at the Moon, was published by Alien Buddha Press in July, 2018.