Between Families

Green chili and the aches
of a hard won hard worked day
mellow on the gas stove
a pot puffing out
little gasps of steam

On the porch, the weather comes
in from miles and miles of flat
flash flood plain. it’s been dry
too long now. The ghost echoes of
old storms rattle in his lungs
and her laugh about gone
by days spent shooting
guns on horseback for prizes

Imagining it fills up this space
with kindness that isn’t actually
there. There’s only one
beer in the fridge. They refuse
to split it. No, Nah. out here
we still got some
hospitality, they say.
 
 
 
Justin Burnell is Appalachian, White-Trash Queer-spawn. He is writing a book about growing up with his trans mom. His work has appeared in Guernica, the Columbia Journal, The New Guard Review, and Arkana Magazine. He tweets @jmburnell.