POETRY BY BARRACUDA GUARISCO

Zero Crib

​the 23rd is medically significant 
I bank with Chime and 
get paid up to two days early
two days early I can eat something 
other than leftover canned menudo
& tuna fish tossed in mustard
& soy sauce
                       two days early
we can treat ourselves with cheeseburgers
stacked on cheeseburgers
I can restore my cell phone service
two days early
                       two days early 
I can not hear from anyone
but debt collectors (you must make yourself
accessible, you never know
what an emergency 
may ask of you)
                       two days early
I can pay back Dave, Albert, and Cleo
                       I can distract
myself with good vibrations for a day
wouldn’t it be nice / it would be so nice 
drink until I bloat and float 
above the heat of Tums-proof
heart burn   I can Hindenburg 
& hermit so hard we go quantum 
                       two days early
you’ve never seen anything like it

Barracuda Guarisco / C. C. Hannett / Kris Hall is a cheesesteak obsessed, bisexual crybaby who enjoys absurdity at varying levels. Barry is the author of several books in the Spuyten Duyvil Publishing universe, as well as Uncomfortable Music (Vegetarian Alcoholic Press, 2021) and The Gold Boys are back in Gold Town (Really Serious Literature) co-authored with Joshua Robert Long. Nominated for Best Microfiction, he is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Really Serious Literature. He has had work placed with Maudlin House, giallo lit, Silent Auctions, Meow Meow Pow Pow and various others found under Entropy Mag's 'Where to Submit' list. He lives with his wife, Pilar, and doesn’t know what day it is. You can find him if you want to.