David C. Kopaska-Merkel

those waifs were eating
me out of house and home
more soup?

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

midnight
Gran’s face in the window 
seems to move 

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

the coffin
a perfect fit 
for the two of you 

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

mattock head
flies off on the back swing
last blood-pressure spike

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

horror show
the giant flytrap’s
human tongue

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

canopic jars
Pharaoh fumbles
for his heart

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

need more cement
some of your fingers
still show

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

hair-brained scream
that awful head
begins to turn

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

the first time

I laid eyes on the griddle

you stared up at me

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

sole survivor
at last he knew
who the killer was

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

abandoned house
my bones under
the loose board

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

cold dreams
damp leaves settle
on my bones

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

hat trick

coil after nightmare coil

of scaled bunny

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

circle me
in an unstable orbit
your rictus mouth

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

deep in the nest
a pitted femur hinted
at their fate

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

after the storm
pounding on the sound-proof door
walk-in freezer

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel

David C. Kopaska-Merkel

skeleton dance
his bony hands
creep lower

— David C. Kopaska-Merkel