50 People - 18 Poem by Raj Dronamraju

18

Stuttering
But a hand raised anyway to answer a question
Not fearing public ridicule
Is that a sign of a good character?

My friend Mikal and I went fishing
Down at a nearby reservoir
A beautiful child, vision of fresh faced youth coming towards us from afar
(She was beautiful until she opened her mouth)
She opened her mouth as if to greet us
And instead said
"GOT ANY POT? "

Mikal
Mind addled by Mary Jane
No short term memory
Also the stuttering, his bad skin, those were not the reasons we are no longer friends

My ex-friend Mikal
I, poorer than him yet he wanted to borrow fifty dollars
Never noticed how beady his eyes were
His beady eyes to my wallet - Never the twain shall meet!