by John Rocco

On the asphalt flesh road

Northern Blvd.

Queens, baby, Queens

old Indian trail

the starving ghosts chase

used condoms and Taco Bell wrappers

anything for a taste of the lost time.

I’m on my way in the middle of the day

to go porn shopping

the cool colorful shelves

exciting and calming

but I can’t get there

because of the traffic suicides

Tanya Tucker on the radio

and the big white truck right

in front of me has painted on

its rear door in big red

white and blue:

THIS IS AMERICA!

LOVE IT OR

GET THE HELL OUT!

Succubus sunlight

explodes my windshield

cooking up

my brains

what’s left

but soon I’m

inside the porn store

cool and peaceful

shopping for guilt.