Manhattan on the Moon
by Travis Shosa

I need to be careful when I
speak because we’ve never

Spoke and you might misinterpret
my tone. I need to be

Cautious when I write a
poem or you might misattribute its

Meaning. I am nauseous at the thought
of love. listen, I know how many show

What they call it. listen, no shade but I
hate when a poem tells me to

Listen. if you want people to listen
to you, open up your   open up

Your   open up your throat and
sing a fucking hymnal. listen, no

Shade: I hope all lecture poets get a-pretty
bad sunburn and their snakeskin

Folds off them like the cheapest
of bistro lunch meats. but not

Me. my nuclear-grade ego is
lunarbound. a Manhattan on the Moon sounds

Like a cocktail. so stick a lime on my
rim and don’t listen to me. don’t read. just

Drink! Oh! How Intoxicating! It Is!
to save the common folk from

Problems of your own making. but
drink. don’t take me too seriously. I

Stole this lyric. this is the song too
brown for God Ween Satan. I’ll be

Covering this one on Cratering Street. if you
need directions, just follow the

Beacon of my radio activity. you can drink it from
space. roll up and have one on me. I’ll

Roll my clouded words like cans of molded
oolong tea down your open throat. you can

Sing or drink or just gape it’s all the same. but
don’t get too close, I am worse than a

Sunburn. please cease your approach. do not
tussle my hair. why would you squeeze my

Hand when you’re in pain? there is not
enough room on your stool for me. oh

God. at some point this glass ran empty. even the
residue is dull. and maybe this was god all

Along. not me nor you, but the
moment in which the glow dissipated and

Only those who chose to come close could
see us. dancing on the moon.


Travis Shosa (they/them) is a writer from Spring, TX. Their poetry is featured or forthcoming in Stanchion, Maudlin House, BRUISER, Burial Magazine,The Bulb Region, Eulogy Press, BULLSHIT LIT, Some Words, electric pink and others. They have been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. Their journalism has been featured in Pitchfork, Bandcamp Daily, The Line of Best Fit, PAPER, and others. They run Dodo Eraser, a lit mag and reading series.