Jay Douglas: "My Father Shot and Killed a Cat When I Was Six Years Old"

My Father Shot and Killed a Cat When I Was Six Years Old

The crack rang out across the lawn
like angry lightning, echoed
off the white oak trees. The neighbors
probably stared.
 He came inside afterward, kicked off his boots,
locked his rifle in the tall cabinet, and made a coffee,
a sandwich. It was time
for lunch. Leaning across the worn kitchen table
he told me, kindly, dark eyes the color of mossy bark
she ran away

Jay Douglas is a recent graduate of Indiana University of Pennsylvania with a dual degree in Religious Studies and English. When not furiously scribbling poetry Jay can usually be found playing Smite or Vainglory, learning mad yo-yo tricks, or immersed in a book on queer theory. Jay identifies strongly as a queer Appalachian and tries to write poetry that reflects that experience. You can find Jay on Instagram @monstrous.invert or, @jdsuperhero. You can find Jay in-game as JesseTheGhost (Vainglory) or JDSuperhero (Smite).

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