Ohio
Rustin Larson
When I was in Ohio running away from oatmeal it seemed like it would take forever to get home I wandered barefoot through closed department stores I interrupted women in their bathrooms my mother welcomed me back begrudgingly and gave me a mismatched pair of bowling shoes to wear and told me I could not outrun prophecy I am resting at the bottom of the washbasin near the drain I am welcome to drink all the water I want I was once her treasure she once took me shopping for vacuum cleaners and bought me Little Golden Books at Kresge’s where did I go wrong the church’s carpet is a plush red velvet it reminds us of he who died for our sins I have no more advice I am going back to Ohio to run away from oatmeal again and hitchhike on fire trucks
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