Tag: tim frank

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Across The Wire Vol. 8

Two Poems

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by Tim Frank

Fighting on TikTok

Mucus on the concrete, 

blood on leather boots, 

split lips, septic bruises,

shrouded by the rain.

Heave the fucking load 

on TikTok’s ocean floor,

it’s the grandeur of the damned.

The emo kid with painted nails 

and scars long-forgotten 

loves a poolside brawl.

Even grandma needs a fix

of headbutts by the sea

and knuckleduster nights—

it’s the measure of our times.

And when we hear

the grind of broken bones 

from across the darkest seas

it’s just a sun-splashed battle

settling in the void,

a screaming scroll away.

Club Culture 

So hurl me at the wall

and crawl inside my slipstream.

Everybody’s lying,

oozing on the dance floor,

jabbing at the dust.

The drugs are all in line,

clawing at my throat—

I can’t stop these viral sirens.

The lights are just 

horrific, 

my eyes are soft balloons

jolting with alarm.

Open all the windows 

let the tribal sounds escape,

the city’s one more maze

with a psychopathic glare.

Now, let’s seep into the streets 

under hypnagogic skies 

and find a lonely girl,

convulsing with the stars.

Tim Frank’s work has been published in Okay Donkey, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, Maudlin House, Hobart, The Forge Literary Magazine, New World Writing and elsewhere. He has been nominated for Best Small Fictions and 4x Best of the Net.

Categories
Across The Wire Vol. 5

You only Smile when I’m Down 

By Tim Frank

My revenge will be to live well.
I’ll sink my teeth into slabs 
Of steak,
Let the garlic butter ooze
From my lips
As Weiss beer bursts 
Upon my eager tongue.
I’ll dream of ice-cold water
Pooling around my feet
And watch the evening game 
While chaining cigarettes—
Blowing rings of smoke 
At the waning moon,
Creating new plateaus
Of beauty 
From my idle thoughts.
And yet, what good does living well 
Really do?
We cruise 
Through worlds aligned 
But are judged by different gods—
Indifferent gods,
Not worthy of our prayers.
You’re a phantom figure 
Beyond my vengeful reach.
So do your worst, my simple friend—
Set fire to your block 
Make your children cry

Tim Frank’s work has been published in Bending Genres, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, Maudlin House, The Forge Literary Magazine, The Metaworker and elsewhere. He has been nominated for Best Small Fictions. His debut chapbook is, An Advert Can Be Beautiful in the Right Shade of Death (C22 Press ’24) and his second chapbook of poetry is, Delusions To Live By (Alien Buddha Press, ’25)

Twitter: @TimFrankquill