A snippet of “What Died in Here?”
The following are samples from Joseph Lamont Ayres’ in-progress poetry collection, “What Died in Here?” A story caught between fact and fantasy told through poetry and illustrations. A young delinquent finds themselves trapped in poverty after moving into “affordable housing.” That housing being a converted garage in a run-down duplex (costing only $350 a month,) ran by a surly french retiree and her burn-out son. What was their gain? What was there to lose? Nothing more than this young fools humanity.
2/8: The Lord Watches
Her withered skin cracks like acrylic nails,
her surroundings entrenched in nicotine.
Watching tenants toil, all kept unclean,
patrolling CPP supported jails.
Perched in a watchtower above the rooms,
gunning down rent cheques that escape the mine;
money bleeding out like homebrewed jug wine.
Loathe! the landlady kills hope and fills tombs!
Words scatter - shot through; smoking spoken gun,
glass shatters - shouting down her fuck-up son.
The occupants quietly lock their doors
3/8: Anointment
Faceless, sexless sack of flesh sends some
half-assed frames - what's to come.
Distant, abject, more of a them.
Urges - a blaring thrum.
Arrival lays dismay,
socks collect Soot - garments to Ashtray.
My clumsy excuse,
we undulate in dismal recluse.
4/8: Growth
Chew skin,
calloused,
Layered,
Fungal.
Weighted
wary eyes
glare on
drywall,
Wart roots
Deepen.
