vanessa was raised
in detroit-
a hustling scofflaw with
streetwalker hips and a
clover tattoo on her neck
last night she slept
in her tercel-
vanessa gambled her
welfare pittance and was
evicted twelve days ago
one time vanessa put a
knife to my throat-
wacked on crank confections
she thought my skin was husk
that must be peeled
tuesday marty told me
vanessa was dead-
arms tied and extended
over her head, a multitude
of stab wounds post mortem
i went to the morgue to
identify the body-
vanessa’s cold plum lips
and hollow cheeks conformed
to her clamy, narrow mug
vanessa was cremated
on tuesday-
i signed for the ashes
relationship to the deceased sir?
“stepfather”.
deuce coupe 