Novella

I'll shred through the thoughts
of these thousand lifeless poets,
so as not to steal a single unkept thing,
I won't even pretend to leave
these breathing staples in,

fuck if I remember their names if you asked,
or if I'd taken the time to read,

I've decided 80,000 words isn't too much yet,
it might be just enough,
if I'm rejected correctly,
to brand this life onto someone else

and help me forgive the flies that
gather hungrily along the walls.