Bones and Gum

by Fred Aiken

bones bound together by xanthan gum

then blended on high to tighten the noose hanging

loosely over the top of a s coat rack made of sprained ankles and broken bones

of skateboarders riding haphazardly through cyberpunk dumps

of old cities meant to be cleaned in a cleansing that was never well funded

and call peacekeeping at best

for no other reason than to keep remnant bones made of xanthan gum from deteriorating