brother— by em fowler

this is more than
sick. police and
the planet and your
mind so new
to it. purple hand
towel under the hair
dryer. radios. you
show them
your plastic
firetruck; where
the ladder
broke playing
rescue with mom.
your back is turned
for this part: someone
pulls the syringe
out. your finger is soft,
is pointing, says—

she has been there

since breakfast. what
did it sound like when
she spoke? it takes
two of them to tow
her difficult shape
from the damp spot
between the toilet
and the sink. there,
there. brother, be
grateful you knew
her at all. what happened
before i cannot
show. i am
envious—it is
disgusting
i know—

em fowler grew up outside of Baltimore, Maryland. Their work has appeared in online and print publications including Sycamore Review, Occulum Journal, Homology Lit Mag, GlitterMob, and elsewhere. They are a Chichimec artist living in Kumeyaay territory with their partner and four dogs.