Ryan B. Richey
Five Poems
Hee
Bosses Chun around. He’ll do it. They cut each others hair down to itty bitty
buzzy bangs. Blame falls on Chun because he’s the older brother. He will
never know what to do with himself.Four cousins play house. Chun’s the baby. Hee’s married to Tim. Our
parents used to dash through fields on bus routes. Stops made only when
Susie said. Afterwards Chester and she get down all fours to lick the salt
block.
Sex Ed
Your pee pee will get hard like this. Susie points at a brick outside of
Grandma’s house.
Meemie’s Sugar Dumplings
Sliced through Meemie’s parlor squeezed by Uncle Robin’s ivory hands.
He’s pink-faced and simmering. We picked his back pocket taking a big red
comb while poking him in the rear with one of Meemie’s candlestick holders.
Stop it Robin! They are just kids. Wrap us up in blankets. Put on Golden
Girls. Prepare frozen pizzas. Kiss me Miss Piggy. I am Kermit the Frog.
Slobber all over my face. I have to keep reminding myself that we’re not
supposed to like this. My last name is Hutson not Richey or is it Richey-
Hutson? I bet they’ll never want me back if I cover their walls in baby
powder. I poop in a cookie tin and sling it at their house.
Sneaky Snake
Aw shucks smile sweet Ryan bats his bluish greens. Quiet as a mouse.
Caught in the middle of everything.
Pie Dough
Snuck in your room last night, Chun. You snoring away. I reached over,
pinched off a little pie dough between my forefingers, balled it up, and stuck
it in the oven for ten seconds.
