the ends justify the means (or some shit like that)

i didn’t learn much

from my 8 a.m. economics class

during my sophomore year of college

partly because of the tortuous

time of day, but mostly

because i dropped it

however, i have since developed

a working knowledge of this subject

courtesy of #45, who when faced

with America’s impending economic doom

suggested that the sick, quite literally

inject themselves with Clorox

*Published in The Alien Buddha Destroys the Economy by Alien Buddha Press

quarantine nose ring

it’s been six weeks

or maybe ninety (i have, admittedly

lost track of time) since i left my home

without fear

of breathing the air

that you have breathed or touching

the places that you have touched

so i have contemplated

perhaps a few times

what it be like to pierce

my septum

with the limited tools

i have in my possession, simply

to shake up

this achingly dull routine

*Published in The Alien Buddha Contracts Covid-19 Act 8