guns, bats and books
“Every person has a right to bear arms for the defense of himself and the state.”
(Michigan Constitution)
there is a bat in my house.
everyone thinks this is normal.
when i call places that eradicate
bats from houses they say they
really don’t do that. they tell me
open up the doors, windows,
wait for it to fly out. it makes no
sense. sort of like all of the guns
some people have here. more guns
than toothbrushes combs and bottles
of cheap cologne that couldn’t get rudy
valentino a date. guns loved more than
jelly beans at easter. one guy loved guns
so much he rolled into the public library
rifle strapped to his back and was turned
away. broke his heart. he might as well
have been some black person in Georgia in
1930 trying to rent a room for the night. he
sued. and won. you got a right to carry rifles
in the public library now but you can’t eat food
in there. they should open a gun shop down-
stairs where they sell used books. they should
close down the computer room and teach gun
safety. they should sell ammo and not used books
to raise money for library upkeep. they should
arrest anyone carrying books concealed under
their coats. they should make the librarians teach
us how to lock and load. they should just turn
the whole thing into a 24 hour gun range. there
is a bat in my house and i do not know how to get
it out. it flew around landed on some ledge and
is now just lying there like count dracula waiting
for the sun to set.i can’t take any chances. i plan
to buy a gun. i am going to shoot it down right away.
if you don’t act fast bats will think that they can
stay forever. i read that in some book.
About the Poet:
Brian Gilmore is a Washington DC poet and writer. He currently teaches social justice law at Michigan State University. His latest book is, “We Didn’t Know Any Gangsters” (Cherry Castle Publishing LLC), a 2015 Hurston-Wright Award nominee.
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