"broke and entered," "faced with the hydra’s stumps," and "can disavow your devil race"
broke and entered
into a genteel noble’s home
from the roof by
prying a skylight
and crept across
its inner sanctums
through study and
into bedroom
could locate no books
anywhere within
except the Stranger
faced with the hydra’s stumps
it takes a flashing tongue to cauterize
the many spurting necks
before their progeny reach the ground
and sprout reinforcements;
skullcup must be drained
to the last drop
gnash teeth and lick
each nubbin’s spray
can disavow your devil race
but to go so far as cleaving off
your hooves and claws seems excessive
fear it will leave you a basket case
unable to feed yourself or
get around, circumnavigate

Jerome Berglund is a writer and fine artist. He graduated summa cum laude from the University of Southern California’s Cinema-Television Production program, with emphases in screenwriting and philosophy. Jerome is author of the collection Plague Poems and Hack Haikus and the chapbook WILD/LIFE. His poetry appears in Abstract Magazine, Bangalore Review, Barstow & Grand, Cathexis Northwest Press, deLuge, the Dewdrop, the Elevation Review, GRIFFEL, Lychee Rind, Meat for Tea, Nine Cloud Journal, Poet’s Choice, a Quillkeeper’s Press anthology, Raw Art Review, the Silent World in Her Vase, Tiny Seeds, Wild Roof and most recently O:JA&L. Jerome is a fine art photographer whose black and white pictures have been exhibited in galleries across New York, Minneapolis, and Santa Monica. In another life he worked as a visual effects artist for Lucasfilm and Dreamworks, and assisted on set at Lifetime and Comedy Central. He is a committed activist as well, and has been actively involved in the Occupy, Standing Rock, and Black Lives Matter movements, and supported grassroots efforts promoting the Green Party. Jerome recommends the National Lawyers Guild.