A Dictionary of Locusts

You're bucking the trend
she screamed
What fucking trend
I asked her

Write something nice
something
soothing and peaceful
to make you feel good
in this troubled world

I don't do nice
and I never feel good
I said

She had no idea
how much pain there was
watching every word
swarm over the page
hungry to find its place
a dictionary of locusts
chewing the guts of my soul