13

I rolled my eyes
got two sixes
lost all my money
got the message
left town
learned a new curse
saw stars
counted em off
I was down
stole a knife
and a jar of black ink
tattooed a 13 on my wrist
cut out my eyes
my life was over

but it wasn’t over
it kept going

only now I was blind

 

 

 

Italian Lessons

He’d been going to Italian classes at the library every Wednesday night
From 6:30-9 p.m. for the past two months
That’s what he’d been telling her
But really he was just going to the bar
And the only Italian rolling around his mouth was Fernet
And sometimes, but rarely, an espresso
They were going to move to Italy
Except now he wasn’t
And he couldn’t
Tell her
Because he didn’t know the words.

 

 

 

The internet

Is a cat
In a cage
Dreaming
About getting out
Of a maze

Amazing!
A place with all the answers
Except the one
To the only question
That really matters

404 Not Found

 

 

Mike Andrelczyk lives with his wife in Strasburg, Pa. His book of 30 haiku “The Celesta Made of Water” can be found at bonesjournal.com. His work has appeared in is/lets, The Bitchin’ Kitsch, decomp, The Inquisitive Eater, My Favorite Bullet, Modern Haiku and elsewhere. His name appears on the title screen of “Major League 2.” Follow on Twitter at @MikeAndrelczyk and on Instagram at @Dickiethon.