App for That. by Michael Dwayne Smith

Death calls

At the most inconvenient times—

Holidays, driving to work,

Late at night when most I need my sleep.

I always hang up on him.

Rude, yes, and maybe foolish.

He says something needs to be put in my ear,

And I’m not listening.

Last week I downloaded an app

To block his number.

But I keep checking the stats

To see when and how often he calls.

Michael Dwayne Smith lives near a Mojave Desert ghost town with his family and rescued animals. His most recent book isRoadside Epiphanies (Cholla Needles Press, 2017). Nominated multiple times for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net, his work haunts many literary houses--including The Cortland Review, New World Writing, Star 82 Review, Blue Fifth Review, Skidrow Penthouse, Word Riot, Rat's Ass Review, Gravel, San Pedro River Review--and has been widely anthologized. When not writing or teaching, he edits Mojave River Press & Review.