Thursday, October 19, 2017

Look behind the mind's eye #Poetry #ThursdayThoughts

Illustration: Wem Town Hall Ghost, public domain

Butter and Bread


Capping a night of long conversation
I said: It’s a certainty that you’ll live 
well after I’m dead.

In an effort at levity, you replied 
that if I died you’d immediately 
join a nunnery 

as if I were Hamlet imploring 
and making reference to 
imaginary whoring.

But why would you want to sacrifice your life
because I had the bad taste to die?
You smiled, said you’d be well taken care of— 

God would be your butter and bread
more than I gave you living or dead.

Vincent Francone was born in 1971.  A veteran of the legendary Aspidistra Bookshop, he spent years as an autodidact before earning a BA from Roosevelt University, where he now teaches first year composition and the occasional literature class, and an MA from Northwestern University.  His work has been published in Rhino, New City, Akashic, and The Oklahoma Review among other journals, and he won first place in the 2009 Illinois Emerging Writers Competition.  He lives in Chicago with his wife and his Chihuahua, Haruki.  
Connect with Vince online: http://www.vincentfrancone.com

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