appealing

The Maynard
Fall 2019

Susana H. Case
0:00
 
 

Clay Man

I prefer a different ending to
                         sleeping with a baseball bat
in case he returns        with a weapon
He wends his way back

through the woods       more frequently now
Last time           he talked too much about guns
              and my rental cabin’s not near anything
                                          except him

Or so he pointed out                 His whiskers
            were grizzled   A bit of dribble on his shirt
Clean fingernails         Not an outdoorsman
I made note of features for a police Identi-Kit

I remember the day he showed up barefoot
I remember the bleeding              covered in clay
It seems if you get them to talk
            they’re only too happy not to shoot you

Lost hours serving tea                     talking
talking about the weather              He pointed out
he patched the window he broke to get in
            and besides I never explicitly said no—