shot glass
title
"... brevity is the soul of wit ..."
- William Shakespeare

Jenna Tripke


 

There are two ways to lose

There are two ways to lose
The first way strikes
as a hammer
to the knee with the grace of a thousand
synchronous seizures,
or a razor-crusted fist
of air into concrete
lungs.

The other way shaves a little off
the top each time, like the mild
peel of burn on a cloudy day.
It doesn't drop, it lets go.
It's one-word replies,
then no
replies at all.