Aidan Chafe

Porcupines

The boy staring at me

in the checkout line

with snot and ice cream

running down his face

may one day become

president.

A father cradles his baby girl

like a football

while his attention

is pacified by football.

Every child matters

is made of matter.

Algorithms attribute

the rise of junk males

to the persecution

of the junk male.

A man in uniform sets fire

to a house

he’s sent to rescue

like a man in uniform

murders another man

he swore to serve and protect.

A sports headline

you don’t have to worry about:

“Two Fighters

Enter an Octagon

and Open Up

About their Feelings."

In other news,

porcupines

can hug

other porcupines.