animals seem to be evolving at

a faster rate than the human 

rats seen setting off traps with sticks

whales destroying boats by ripping off rudders

monkeys remembering way too many numbers

much too fast to make me feel confident in myself

I’m sure you have a few more 

examples in your head as well

we still argue about 

male or female

colors of skin

religion

politics

and many other asinine subjects

all the while

genderless

colorless

A.I. is growing smarter 

and evolving

at some point soon, we won’t be

able to recognize real from fake

with no confidence in anything we hear or see

U.F.O. sightings by trusted pilots

high ranking officials stating

that aliens do exist

we are living in a real life L. Ron Hubbard book

everything we purchase

is getting more expensive

smaller or being made with less

integrity than ever before

corporations and the elite get

cash hand over fist from recessions

financial collapses and pandemics

while the majority struggle mentally

physically and/or financially

the rich continue dining on 

foie gras and teenage cunt

as wars linger on

and Canada burns

https://litshark.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Lit-Shark-Issue-1-complete-ebook-1page.pdf

(Originally published by The Rye Whiskey Review)

(Originally published by The Beatnik Cowboy)

there was a man from Dublin

he celebrated St. Patrick’s Day

with boatloads of Guinness

he was a catholic who dressed in

scary costumes to ward off

spirits during the festival of Samhain

he listened to music heavy

in fiddle, piano, and acoustic guitar

combined with instruments like Irish

bouzoukis, uilleann pipes, and

celtic harps known as clairseach

he danced in Irish jigs, reels, and step

he wore wooden shoes and dresses based

on designs found in the Book of Kells

he believed in the banshee

the tales of Fionn Mac Cumhaill

and leprechauns

he only read literature by

Swift, Yeats, Wilde, Shaw, and Stoker

he was the town weirdo

an outcast

because the man was from

Dublin, Georgia

My wife said that we needed the large cast iron pot washed to sear some steaks. I told her that I would handle that. I confessed to her of my relatively newfound joy from hand washing, hand drying, and seasoning cast iron pots with some type of oil. I told her that it was actually more of a slow burn of interest, growing gradually over time, as I was taught to respect the cast iron, if only subconsciously.

She gave me an awkward glance, but quickly said, “Okay.” As if to say, whatever, just wash the damn thing. 

I inherited multiple cast iron pots that went to my mom after her mom passed, then to my dad after she passed, then to me after he passed.

That may sound like quite a long time, but it was all of 6 years. 

I’m not exactly sure when or where the pots were bought, made, or where the lineage begins.

However, the thought of a pot being handed down from generation to generation is admirable and fascinating to me. The fact that is looks almost as good today, as is did upon it’s production day, is a true testament to hard work and care that is few and far between in todays society and current work ethic. Generally speaking of course. But…

I guarantee, a goddamned t-fal set will never last over 200 years.

(Originally published by The Rye Whiskey Review)

https://horrorsleazetrash.com/2023/05/31/anthony-dirk-ray-34/

(Early 1990’s)

(Originally published by The Rye Whiskey Review)

I prefer my whiskey neat

or with a tiny splash of water

but tonight

I made the wife and myself

an old fashioned each

I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it

despite not usually taking whiskey on the rocks

as I sat on the back patio

sipping my drink and toasting a stick

a thunderstorm rolled in

I realized just how good I felt in that moment

numerous lightning bolts flashed in the distance

boisterous bangs of 

resounding raucous thunder followed

bringing to mind memories of my past 

from drug induced years

to the present day

where drams and drams of whiskey are drained

somehow I always seem 

to feel the most alive

when I am killing myself

https://horrorsleazetrash.com/2023/05/04/anthony-dirk-ray-33/

(Originally published by Unlikely Stories)

headed to get groceries and

run errands with my wife

I notice the the gargantuan flag

at Camping World, where they

sell recreational vehicles is at half mast

this flag is the biggest

that I have ever seen

I ask my wife

“what happened, why is that flag at half mast?”

she doesn’t know

she hasn’t heard anything

I haven’t been keeping up

with the news lately myself

we get our groceries and 

on the ride home get to the intersection

of 59 and 90

where roughly thirty flags fly on poles

and none of those are at half mast

then it dawns on me that maybe

nothing at all had happened

maybe the workers at the r.v. place

are just too lazy to lift that

heavy ass goddamn flag

and to justify their said laziness

assume that another mass shooting

will happen soon enough

(Originally published by The Beatnik Cowboy)

(Originally published by Horror Sleaze Trash)

I left work one evening

and stopped to get gas.

while I was pumping gas,

I observed a man wearing

a fedora, leather jacket,

and pajama pants trying to 

get a ride by hitchhiking.

I saw what looked like a 

puppy on his shoulder.

then I noticed the red cone,

beak, and feathers.

I thought, this fucker

will never get a ride

with a goddamned live

chicken on his shoulder.

I lost sight of him

and walked inside to

buy an espresso beverage.

upon exiting, 

I heard a voice say,

“hey my man, can I

put gas in your truck?

I’m trying to get close

to Pensacola.”

I’m sure he noticed the 5

on my tag denoting that

I lived across the bay

in that general direction.

I looked at the man.

I looked up at his chicken,

then back at him and said,

“I’m sorry, I’m not going that way.”

then,

I got in my truck

and went that way.

(Originally published by Horror Sleaze Trash)

it was a long Labor Day weekend

although weekends never feel long

I took a few days off in

preparation for said weekend

Wednesday 

I hurt my knee terribly

so I hobbled with every step

fucking great, I thought

I’m going to have to do

a lot of walking this weekend

Thursday

I took the dog to the vet

I watched as my dog took shots

like a champion

a cute blonde with a lip piercing

and tight scrubs hugged my dog tight

and let him lick her in the mouth

as the doctor shot him up with drugs

and inserted a long cylindrical tube

into his anus for a fecal test

this lucky bastard, I thought

tests were negative

the dog healthy

I emptied my wallet and

we went on our way

Friday

the wife and I left for Ocean Springs

ate great barbeque

drank good bourbon and soaked

in a large tub by the bed

the next day we went to an

art walk where I purchased

an original piece from a hipster

I won’t hold that against him

because his work is amazing

Saturday

we headed for Biloxi

we gambled a little

ate a lot

saw the comedian

we were there to see

I had strong drinks from the bar

and weak drinks at the slots

I ran into a coworker who was 

feeding machines with hundred after hundred

“push it” he told me

“maybe your lucky”

I wasn’t

I never am

Sunday

we drove to New Orleans

as we were getting off on our exit

I turned to my wife and said

“I just remembered, it’s pride weekend”

we made our way toward the hotel bar

rumors have it that Bukowski stayed

there when he was in his twenties

we found a spot on the street to park

less than a block away

we entered the bar and ordered drinks

as we drank we watched

girls and guys walk by with wings attached

dressed in wigs, dresses or much less

I ordered another round and

we decided to take a walk 

I fired up a cigar as we walked

I knew what they were probably thinking

me sucking on a long brown stick

many males and females in thongs

and jockstraps

chest harnesses abound

no problems among thousands of people

everyone was so festive and joyous

dancing, laughing, and singing

it’s then I realized how they

probably got their title

I was proud of New Orleans once again