Published on: 11/28/2012
Cerberus

he draws a picture of a
pit bull to guard his door
it's from a memory of a dog he saw once
he knows the smell of blood and sweat
the dogs snarling, foaming
at the mouth

his uncle's friend saying
Jesus, you let a kid in here?
hands on his arms, jerking
his skin jumping as they hauled
him out, the taste of red koolaid
he drank in the kitchen after
the color reminding him of the blood
on the floor, sometimes he
thinks he dreamed it

after the red lights and the men
in blue suits came, his uncle
sent letters from prison
saying it was all a mistake
he never fought dogs in
his house, the men must have lied
the stains were false.