Savages by Bogdan Dragos

Wasn’t the best house for

a five-year-old

It was just a small room above the

bar his mother worked in

and it was open until late at night

and he couldn’t sleep because

of the noise

He imagined savages going

at each other, fighting to the death,

and then laughing in celebration

of victory

and he wasn’t too far from the truth

His mother would come

into the room from time to time

to get something or

to leave something in her locker

She had no time for him

And lately she kept coming with

blood on her clothes

He imagined she must clean up after

all those savages, pick

their dead bodies up

and bury them

It was unfair. Her only reward was

a spit’s worth of flour

that she was too tired to cook

with. So

she just snorted it through her nose

and went…