Knave by Joan McNerney

Joan McNerney’s poetry has been included in numerous literary magazines such as Seven Circle Press, Dinner with the Muse, Moonlight Dreamers of Yellow Haze, Blueline, and Halcyon Days. Three Bright Hills Press Anthologies, several Poppy Road Review Journals, and numerous Kind of A Hurricane Press Publications have accepted her work. Her latest title is Having Lunch with the Sky and she has four Best of the Net nominations.

Knave

Full of himself flaunting

his black leather jacket

covered with silver studs.

Bling hangs from his bulging neck.

Flashy zircons, deep cologne,

tattoos, piercings, purple hair.

Puffed up, he struts across alleys.

Headlight eyes scoping

each corner searching prey.

Pushing down anything

in his way. Sniffing rear

doors, sniffing out death.

His hands move like claws

through shadows with

crooked nails buffed blue.

Lugging a bag of tricks loaded

with brass knuckles, chains,

zip guns, switchblades, knives.

Opening his cavern mouth,

smacking wide lips, he drains

a cool cocktail of ruby red blood.