squamating games

i don’t wanna agree just to keep the peace
don’t gotta force myself to bend to your crease
it would be better for you to desist & cease
so i’m no longer subject to your caprice

just ‘cos i’m a lady
don’t make you my superhero
just a supervillain

in other words, i would like you to sod off
before this turns into a lifelong stand-off
something ’bout your face really puts me off
like it’s not your face but some creepy knock off

please don’t call me baby
or i’ll paint the goddam walls
with your guts vermillion

i suspect you’re a lizard wearing human skin
lemme press this shotgun ‘neath your weak chin
aerate that area with some ballistic spin
get a three-pointer, dunk your head in a bin

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2024

saving private myself

a wall at the edge of my mind
my eyes said not to put it there
well, don’t believe your eyes
what is this, anyway?

is the wall to keep them out
or to keep me, the recalcitrant, in?
well, i don’t care about walls
and you’re no humpty dumpty

can a wall breach to contrivance?
feel like consensus collapsing?
well, you don’t value consensus
and i’m no citizen of the quorum

(and no one believes in democracy anyway
not anymore)

by TETIANA ALEKSINA & TONY SINGLE
© All rights reserved 2023