John B. Oldenborg

The One With Plaster Skin

In my new ranch style home
I lay my head on your lap
in my new ranch style home
I’m my new ranch style home

The oven’s heart is blown out
Months ’n months ago
the replacement
what began to travel
has never arrived

Old spent grounds then
live in the coffee
machine For a lifetime grow
white curly beard hairs Hear
sobs in the furniture
-less living room I’m
a head on a pillow of yesterday’s
bath towels Tomorrow
a head on your lap

in this new misery life

Drive into the desert’s
mannequin warehouse
looking for someone
fashionable
posable I settle

settle for you
I can afford no better

I’m allowed to
comb my hair with your fingers
This is how we agreed
a little society should work

Author Reading

About the Author

John B. Oldenborg (he / him) attended the University of Nevada Las Vegas for an MFA in poetry. He is editor in chief at Young Doogan Mag. His work appears in LandLocked, The Roadrunner Review, HASH, Heavy Feather Review, Yalobusha Review, The Hunger, and elsewhere. He is scared of the screaming guy from the band Death Grips. Find him on Twitter @LMFAOldenborg.