Beneath the Hidden Sky by John Sweet sunlight finally on the last day of summer sense of dread replaced by the need to sleep sound of small animals dying horribly in the back yard sound of laughter made by mouths filled with sharpened teeth listen man is found hanging from a length of rope in his sister’s closet or is gunned down on a sunday afternoon one or the other, no in-between, and so the next century begins to take shape the idea of joy grows jagged rusty edges child tells you you have to hang onto it tightly says everyone bleeds says don’t be such a baby wakes you up just before you can remember his name

Beneath the Hidden Sky

by John Sweet

sunlight finally on the
last day of summer

sense of dread replaced by
the need to sleep

sound of small animals
dying horribly in the back yard

sound of laughter made by
mouths filled with
sharpened teeth

listen

man is found hanging from a
length of rope in his
sister’s closet or
is gunned down on a
sunday afternoon

one or the other,
no in-between,
and so the next century
begins to take shape

the idea of joy grows
jagged rusty edges

child tells you you have to
hang onto it tightly

says everyone
bleeds

says don’t be
such a baby

wakes you up just before
you can
remember his name