Ryn Gargulinski: Poem
THE NIGHTMARE
A giant spider
invaded my home my
lover was fucking
a whore the cat
ate eyeballs my
glasses were broken like
in that Twilight Zone nuclear war rocking
horse trying to flee two
canaries were killing
each other there was
blood but
no hot water a beast
with hairy legs and bad
bad breath was chasing
me an irate landlord wanted
the rent I fell
under a piano
through the rickety floor to
the cellar
at an old couple's
house she offered
me gingerbread a black
black panther pounced on
my head his claws drew
red lines savage tattoos
engulfed me burning at
the stake Salem
i did not drown but inhaled
the water
murky
making me choke innocent
my charge card ran
away with my mind and a spoon I
wrote a bad
check aisle three did not
exist no one knew
where the rice was my
mother appeared
with a
scowl.
Ryn Gargulinski is a Brooklyn-based poet, journalist and stand up comic. Her inspirations include William Blake, the
Brothers Grimm and anything by Baudelaire. She recently completed her Master's degree with a thesis on the Folklore
of New York City Subway Workers.
