by Austin James

Forget it.  The fragrance 
is a sky heavy with madness
and musk that echoes across 
a jazzed countenance.  Scotch 

slips the felt sideways to a cosmic
cast, giddy with oxygen.  Embezzle 
the past. Scuttle raven memory 
across the gambler’s burned 

psychology, severed by 
calamity’s razor. Hunger, 
sweat, and a narrow locus strike 
the hand of a dizzy edge. 

Violate hell.
Devour honey.

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About the author:

Austin Allen James is a Visiting Professor at Texas Southern University, an HBCU located in Houston, TX, where he has taught since the fall of 2012. In 2016, he and his colleagues established a committee to create a “Professional Writing” concentration, which includes five creative writing classes. In addition to his academic pursuits, Austin is also a visual artist and sculptor.