Honorable Mention – “Coaster”

I remember rising at dawn, age seven and jealous
of the night before, taking a whiff of this bitter,
a sip of that sweet, amazed at the debris: crumpled
napkins, overflowing ashtrays, twisted Marlboros,
lipsticked Lucky Strikes. Choosing a tall cool glass,
the coaster stuck to it, I carried both to the kitchen,
pressed against my Buffalo Bob pajamas.

The coaster fit my hand perfectly, its story of a lone
cowboy on a plain complemented mine, and I felt
sad for its sodden state. I dried it carefully,
placed it neatly under my bowl of Frosted Flakes,
and read the back of the box in cold morning light.

Phil Dansdill has published poetry and prose in various journals, including The Kennesaw Review, English Journal, Dunes Review, Border Crossing, and The Mickle Street Review.