three poems
by Justin Karcher
After the Staged Reading of a Play That Will Never Be Produced
Donna and I are smoking in front of TGI Fridays
when this woman comes up to us
with her hand down her pants.
“Take my crabs,” she says
and dramatically whips out her hand
like a magician declaring ta-da!
Then, she pretends to flick the sex bugs at us.
Donna quickly runs back inside
but the tragic absurdity freezes me in place
and all I can do is silently stare at this woman
as the sterile lights of Buffalo’s Theatre District
do their best to shine. They look
like a beach with fallen chandeliers
a reminder that not every dashed dream
has a story. But it should. Eventually
the woman's fingers tire and she floats away
like driftwood. Sometimes art seems useless.
When I Put Jellybean to Sleep, I Couldn’t Hold Back the Tears
That night I wandered the city
and came across an abandoned garage
with ‘Save Gaza’ spray-painted on its door.
As I was running my fingers along the vines
I heard a frantic meow from around the corner.
When I went to look, there was this kitten
with a Cheetos bag on its head running in a circle.
Carefully, I picked it up and removed the bag.
It fiercely clawed up my arm and then jumped
to freedom. I stood there bleeding as it ran
into the shadows.
My Boss Was Let Go Because of the Big Beautiful Bill
She just had knee surgery
and was a week away from vacation.
When I call her, she cries
while talking about kindness.
Afterward, I walk to AA.
On the corner near the 7-Eleven
Shirtless Rob is reciting
the Gettysburg Address.
The other day he told me
his band will be bigger than Metallica
but the guitar that he keeps
in a shopping cart only has two strings.
After the meeting, I’m in the church kitchen
washing mugs and this other guy is making
a sauce for a fundraiser. He asks me to taste-test
and it’s so sweet I want to sing.
Photo of Justin Karcher
BIO: Justin Karcher (Twitter: @justin_karcher, Bluesky: @justinkarcher.bsky.social) is a Best of the Net- and Pushcart-nominated poet and playwright from Buffalo, NY. He is the author of several books, including Tailgating at the Gates of Hell (Ghost City Press, 2015). Recent playwriting credits include The Birth of Santa (American Repertory Theater of WNY) and “The Buffalo Bills Need Our Help” (Alleyway Theatre). https://www.justinkarcherauthor.com