Often and with Abandon

She crossed and then uncrossed

Both her friends and her thighs

Each often and with abandon

The former I found

Less intriguing than the latter

Legs I'd need a ladder to climb

Legs I would consider

Worthy of almost any crime

Her friends now former

Decidedly unbothered and

Unimpressed with attempts at uncrossings

Both legs or otherwise

All those

Half hearted requests for forgiveness

Casual lies and false meekness

Just like the Rubicon once crossed

There can be no going back

Ask Caesar

Who also fell out with his friends in the end

So who can blame former friends

Certainly not I

Focused intently on

Legs I would need a ladder to climb

Which she crosses and uncrosses

So often and with abandon

By: Daniel Smallegange, copyright 2025, all rights reserved.

Some artwork on my wall, by Walter Klassen.

Cartoon Written and Drawn by Daniel Smallegange, copyright 2022, all rights reserved.

Written and drawn by Daniel Smallegange, all rights reserved, copyright 2022.

The Crux of the Matter

The crux of the matter

This is what we are after

She said and then

Levelled the gun

And then

Pointing the gun in my direction

Pointing the business end of said gun

In my direction

This causing consternation and

Stuttering as

The wrong end of barrels pointing, mainly gun barrels pointing

Disagrees with my proclivity to discourse freely

Or at least without pause or repetitive actions

IE stuttering

So stuttering occurred and then increased with

The cocking of said weapon's hammer

The crux you say, I boldly and firmly managed

Though bold nor firm could describe my mental state at the time

Always the crux, it's the centre of things really, I tried

Naturally, said she and pulled the trigger three times

If anything was repeated after this

I heard it not

But I do know, in hindsight

The crux of the matter was not gotten at

Unless it involved my death

Which then begs the point

Why ask about it in the first place?

By: Daniel Smallegange, all rights reserved, copyright 2025.

Photo by Blake Morrow, from a still of the author from the short film The Officer.

When One is Un Loved

When one is un loved

One must continue to

Love

Despite a lack of

Willing recipients

And even if only to love 

One's self

One must continue to love

And not the kind of self love you do

In private when no one's home

With one's laptop

Although that type of self love

Is not a bad thing

Either at any rate

Especially if you have decent internet

But when one is un loved

Try an'

Continue to love

Regardless

What I am talking about

Try to continue to love

Other's or even if only

One's self

What I am meaning to say

Or trying to at least

Anyways

Self love

One must continue to... 

By: Daniel Smallegange, all rights reserved 2025.

Photo of the author, in Toronto, Fall 2024.

Interview I did for Mind on Fire Books for my Novel 24th Century Dick

 Check it out, a cool review and interview piece on me for Mind on Fire Books.

Daniel Smallegange: A Journey Through Sci-Fi Noir - Mind on Fire Books

All this Damned Bluster

Complacency as a general rule

Is not what is

Required nor encouraged

However

All this bluster

Overacting over reaching and or

Bluster in general

Seals a fate faster or at least

Makes one unpopular

Makes those around you

Un mourn your passing

Or maybe even

Celebrate it

All this damned bluster you sputter

No way to be

Unsound in approach

Though terminology is opposite of

As you make more sounds

Which is unsound

Complaining about all things

Under the sun

Makes one

Climb under a rock

Or seek salvation in the arms of

Any other

Any other than you and

All this damned bluster you sputter

By Daniel Smallegange, all rights reserved 2025. Photo of the author by Cory Goodyear.

Cotton On

Cotton on

You are beginning to

Or so it seems

Grasp at things 

To the facts

To begin the long process of

Untrust

These allies and firm friends you speak of

Will sell you out faster than...

Can't you see?

Are you beginning to cotton on, as they say

Stick to knowledge an' truth

Like wet cotton

You're beginning to

The inevitable harshness

The light reveals

It hurts, it must

Being deceived by those pretenders

They ain't your friends

Cottoning on you are

Finally with finality

Attach to with understanding and grasp at

These dire events and what they signify

Raise your voice

And wield your weapon of choice

But break free and come away

Come back to us and finally

Cotton on

By: Daniel Smallegange, all rights reserved, 2025.