Daniel J. Flore III's poems have appeared in many publications. He is the author of 4 poetry books from GenZ Publishing. They are Lapping Water, Humbled Wise Men Christmas Haikus, Home and other places I’ve yet to see, and Pink Marigold Rays.
Cigarette butts in the hospital parking lot
cigarette butts
in the hospital parking lot
how many of them were smoked furiously
with prayers
the way I just smoked
begging God
exhausted
and in terror, all squished out now
in the cement
with the others
Butt Dial
the alert for your text came in
like a fart in the wind
it read
j ssd ndcndn
I knew you
still didn’t want to talk to me
but maybe
you were at least
thinking about it
