By Matt Allegretti

We munch on stale popcorn
and sip our Panty Peelers
in the back of Darwain’s.

You say, “Gemini and Libra
will often walk down the aisle…”
But nothing will let me come to you.

I stare at the evolutionary stages
transcribed on the walls,
a giant cock points in your direction.

Drawn in marker or pen?

“These hard economic times.”
Hard indeed, Alaska,
land of seasonal depression,

a place imagination crawls to die.
“Could we pick a place harder
on the psyche to live?”

Don’t stop!  Keep talking,
crazy teacher girl.
Tell me everything.

By the time
your beer turns warm,
I’ll be gone.

---

Matt Allegretti grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from The College of Saint Rose in 2014. Matt lived in Alaska and was once chased by a black bear though he had an unfair advantage because he was riding a bike (Matt, not the bear).