2 Prose Poems

By Malik Berry

Business

The coldest breeze of the day blows out of an air-conditioned Tesla. Its driver abandoned it shortly after being demoted. He nurses a migraine with expensive water, staring into the abyss reflected in
the 90-story glass tower. Faceless Armani suit models pour out, crowding behind him. Staring at the
driver, they are amused by his weakness. After a moment, they grow intrigued. Another moment
passes and they become full of contempt. Bony fingers stab the air in his direction, the accusing
digits striking him like bullets. He will never walk into an office again. His assets will be frozen, left
to melt in the great heating of the world. He withdraws his severance package just in time for all
money to spontaneously combust. The glass tower finally shatters, with no effort from the stones
thrown within. The thousands below who recognize Armani and Tesla as just names are cut to
pieces, while the men in suits hone their skill to laugh at misfortune.

Mornings

Waking up on the wrong side of the bed is an understatement. It is better to say that I peel myself
off the sheets, leaving behind a stain invisible to the naked eye. Flesh, blood, and bone are still
attached, but my will and my soul dry up on the linens. The pattern of my day continues at a slow
pace, drawing energy from others who glisten with renewed life every day. Their enthusiasm scares
me as much as it fascinates me. How do others stomp through a weary life, unaffected by the waves
of misery. The sins of their fathers do not hover above them, and the weight of the world is so light
on their shoulders, they appear to float. When the day is over and I am allowed to rest, I will look
for this airy sensation when I sleep. But those odds are low. I will be confined to seeing the world as
mob with torches, unsure if they’re charging at or warning me.

Malik Berry is a writer and community activist born and raised in Baltimore. Their writing encompasses the forms of fiction, poetry, theatre, and film criticism, and has been featured in publications such as The Junction, Film Inquiry, A Coup of Owls Press, labataan, and Baffling Magazine.