

Closer
Listen to the story’s song before reading “Help me…” I groaned; no one was around to care. I sat at a table outside the library, but with the way the story I was working on was violating me I may as well have been bent over. Up to then writing had been an escape, the blank page an oasis no matter the desert I found … Continue reading Closer

If I Ever Leave This World Alive
Listen to the story’s song before reading My death was painless, quick, but the afterlife is a pop-up ad, inescapable. I think I remember looking one way but not the other, maybe the blow of a horn, definitely the thud of my body and CRACK of my skull against street. Even though I could think through what had happened, go back as far as my … Continue reading If I Ever Leave This World Alive

Maggotbrain
Listen to the story’s song before reading ‘Ya’ll have knocked her up.’ It was either the words that woke me up or the walls of my house shaking. Everything was dark, still again, but a murmur as confused as me drifted through the screens in my windows; I went outside expecting the same calm, starry night that I’d left but instead found all my neighbors … Continue reading Maggotbrain

You Don’t Know How It Feels
Listen to the story’s song before reading “You just can’t.” My dad said as I finished wrapping white tape around his gargantuan knuckles, “Not until you take a hit yourself.” I finished, dropped the hand to grab his left, started to wrap at the edge of one of the many bruises that colored his flesh. “C’mon man, you saw to it that I got my … Continue reading You Don’t Know How It Feels

Slaughterhouse
Listen to the story’s song before reading There was a mean old lady that lived in the apartment downstairs. The farthest she would ever go from her home was her porch where she would sit and smoke long cigarettes that looked like her fingers. She acted nice, said hi to me and my sister whenever we walked by, but it was easy to tell how … Continue reading Slaughterhouse

Skit #2
Listen here Poetry from song lyrics. I got burn holes in my hoodies all my homies think it’s dank Up on melancholy hill How did it end up like this? I wake up every evenin’ With a big smile on my face Ain’t no rest for the wicked Sugar we’re going down swingin’. Go long days longer nights Talk too much the wrong … Continue reading Skit #2

Swimming in the Flood
Listen to the story’s song before reading Clanging came from far away, I was alone for the moment; I stretched my body, pushed out a yawn. “You know it being talked about already doesn’t make it any less significant.” Her words came from the other room, were followed by pounds up the stairs, “Now that Tropical Storm Passion is a hurricane everything is different.” I’d … Continue reading Swimming in the Flood

Steal My Sunshine
Listen to the story’s song before reading I stood to the left of the store’s automatic doors finishing my third cigarette in a row; I’d rather risk cancer than go shopping with my girlfriend. It’s not that she took long, it’s that she didn’t take her wallet. I’d say she was lucky to have me outside, ready to drive away, if she was ever at … Continue reading Steal My Sunshine

Kickstart My Heart
Listen to the song before you read the story One of the wildest nights of my life happened because I stood still in a rainstorm. I should explain; the drops were 20’s, 50’s, & 100’s, and in appreciation of the rare weather –I was at a club that wasn’t filled with strippers- I looked for the source. While everyone around me lost their shit I … Continue reading Kickstart My Heart

Skit #1
Listen here Poetry from song lyrics. This is how it starts Two lovers in the dark On the blackest plains in hells domain We watch them as they go “There is always sweet in sour” So we, are not, goin’ home. You never thought I’d make you smile While I’m smackin your ass and fuckin you all wild Wise men say Only fools rush in … Continue reading Skit #1