James Tyner

DULLARD

Eddie's straddling the fence.
Barbed wire caught in his shorts,
tearing the cloth and he's crying
about his balls, screaming in Spanish
for his mom to save him.

I think I hear sirens.

Whooser's cradling a stick he found,
looks like a cane with the top broke
off. He's telling Eddie to get
the fuck down. Pockets bulging,
full of candy and quarter chips.

I swear to Jesus if we get caught.

I grab Eddie by the leg, hard,
tell him we just stole and maybe
cops are coming. His calf is big,
thick, and snots dripping on his shirt,
and I tell him I'll break this
if he doesn't get his fat, humpty
dumpty ass off the fence and run,
you stupid crying fucker.