The Rowdy Punks by Giovanni Mangiante

Immortality can be the flower

growing out of a crack in the sidewalk,

a glass of whiskey left untouched

on the counter

that nobody dares to drink,

the stranger’s hand

stretching towards the last 

remaining dog

on death row;

patting its head

and taking it home.

Immortality is the rowdy punks of the universe

imprinting themselves

into the sidewalks, the light posts;

like Kath at 16 years of age

walking into that store

with a bruised knee and a scar

running down her elbow,

blowing cigarette smoke on the cashier’s face,

calling him out on his bullshit,

and heading out

with a case of beer hanging

from her left arm, 

undefeated.

Giovanni Mangiante, born on March 17th, 1996, is a bi-lingual writer from Lima, Peru. He has work published in Panoply, The Anti-Languorous Project, Dream Noir, Punk Noir Magazine, Minute Magazine, The Rye Whiskey Review, Eunoia Review, and has upcoming poems in Down in the Dirt and Open Minds Quarterly. In writing, he found a way to cope with Borderline Personality Disorder.