By the Lake - Casey Garvey

I shanked a bear by the lake today

Dylan told me not to, but I did it anyway

Apparently it was a virgin and had yet

To make young bear love, but

I found that hard to believe

Can bears even make love?

Do they fall hard and smooth?

Do bears touch paws and walk each other to class?

Do they watch Kevin Costner movies every

Thursday night with a six-pack

Of Stella Artois?

I doubt it.

 

I lynched a bear by the lake today

Keegan asked why and I said, “Fuck him,

He had it coming.”

A recurring childhood dream revealed

Bears as bastards

My parents would become them

In the middle of the night and chase me down

The upstairs hallway

While I tried to seek refuge

In a green Boy Scout tent and

Defend myself with a red Swiss Army knife

Though it never worked.

 

I snuffed out a bear by the lake today

Holly cried, but I did it anyway

All it took was a stark white pillow and

Some courage

This bear did not have the defense of

The famous football team

And when it was all over, I tried

To bury it, but couldn’t dig the hole

Deep enough

Midway through, the bear came to,

Forced me into the grave

And covered it.

 

A bear murdered me by the lake today

Afterward it pitched a tent

Rented “Waterworld” and

Made love.