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.