LT Verrastro was born and raised in Scranton, Pennsylvania, so he hears more than his fair share of references to "The Office." Guitarist and founding member of the band Fat Angel, his first album of original material was released in 2009. He now lives in Philadelphia where he studies writing at the University of Pennsylvania and is currently working on his second manuscript of poetry, entitled The First Two Years .

Four Poems (May-ish, 2011. Issue 28.)

Midnight Apparition

falling asleep
with eyes almost
too heavy to open
I see through cracks
him again
at my computer desk
his ghostly glow
illuminating
the wooden chair
his army jacket
blood striped cotton
covering oil-greased arms
diseased thighs
floor-touching dick
drooling over the keyboard
surfing poetry magazines
actually reading

sometimes
I wish he'd go easy
on the space bar

The Suburbs

"I hope you fucking die,"
she said
as she served her sons
a plate of grilled cheese
to dunk into their tomato soup.

"I hate you,"
one son said
as he grabbed
a buttery sandwich
with his bare fingers.

It was a nice day outside;
summer bugs buzzed loud,
and the Ohio sunlight snuck
under the canopy to cool off,
resting on unlaced Chuck Taylors.

"Go get hit by a car,"
she said,
carefully kissing all four cheeks
after fastening their helmets.

Peering through the screen door,
she watched until two silhouettes
disappeared down Elm Street,
pedaling somewhere toward Columbus.

daily lunch

fingers fondling
shit and money
he cooks it long enough
until I buy it

Ex-Girlfriend

I hope
it kills you
that the only
poem you get
is this one.