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My Ex Scared Me

by Tara Carnes

enough to buy a gun

a patient friend

taught me to shoot

 

my hands shook so much

the shot patterns

skittered off

                             the

                                            paper

                                                            targets

 

I took home his targets instead

human outlines with

the brains and balls

skillfully pierced in a shot pattern

the size of a quarter

 

I carefully

tucked them

in the recycling bin

with just a few tantalizing

              bits

                           peeking

                                                  out

 

my neighbor and I

watched through the blinds

that evening

as my ex snooped through

the bin (as was his habit)

 

the look on his face

when he pulled out the targets

priceless

About the Author

Tara L. Carnes is a musician, composer, poet, teacher and spiritual director. She is a graduate of the University of North Texas (M.A.), and the Haden Institute’s program in spiritual direction. Tara’s poetry has appeared in The Poetry Box, Snapdragon, Big Windows Review, SageWoman Magazine, Cholla Needles and Presence Journal. She lives in Houston, TX.

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