Outlet Clearance by Ben Nardolilli

Time for an outlet clearance, a purge
of all the escape routes I’ve chosen, no re-routes,
close them off forever

Get rid of swears, clean up the language,
drop the midnight snacks and the sugary treats,
no more cold summer baths either

Delete the lists upon lists of tawdry links, throw out
the iced coffee of all future afternoons,
stop dancing and stop playing computer games

No more distractions, time for focus,
and time to bottle up every ounce of my energy,
so I may explode and rise, to some adult astral glory

Ben Nardolilli currently lives in New York City. His work has appeared in Perigee Magazine, Red Fez, Danse Macabre, The 22 Magazine, Quail Bell Magazine, Elimae, fwriction, Inwood Indiana, Pear Noir, The Minetta Review, and Yes Poetry. He blogs at mirrorsponge.blogspot.com and is looking to publish a novel.