there goes the neighborhood
I flip over the egg timer on the kitchen
counter and step away
before it runs out of sand
the place across the street loses its roof
most of the neighbors here
are victims of the enemy of the state
and there aren’t many of us left
I’ve been meaning to get the hell
out of dodge for a long time now
what keeps me here is anyone’s best guess
maybe I’m holding out for a miracle
all the while practicing the art of
turning the other cheek
september two thousand twenty-four
copyright j matthew waters
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