Self-Checkout Blues 

Celexa in the mail, Digging holes in the Sun

a sun-kissed trailer in the foothills
pale blue panels made of tin–
galvanized and scorching,

sweet summer
wind and sweat

you foiled the windows
to cover crystal fires,
illuminated stove tops,
illicit men

sweat simmers
bubbled flesh

in order to see something
you gotta taste it
so you smoked them down
like a freight train,

throats retching
in the heat of the night

open up wide enough
and the beast will spring,
it hangs on its hinges
slick– wet– angry

hankering for
an ugly feeling

Carla Smith was born in Auburn, Alabama. She has a bachelor’s degree in English literature with a minor in creative writing from the University of Montevallo. Carla is currently living in Siheung, South Korea and working as an English teacher.