The Closest to the Real Thing by Karlo Sevilla

The next time the horror film

shows a scene

with the full moon,

run to the theater screen,

climb the stage

to the audience's chagrin,

and run your hand

across the silver orb

as projected and portrayed

on stretched vinyl.

Bear the spewed curses

and threats from the crowd

for a few seconds,

then get down

and slink back to your seat

to finish the movie,

your pop corn,

and decaf, decaf, decaf.

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Karlo Sevilla of Quezon City, Philippines is the author of the full-length poetry collection “Metro Manila Mammal” (Soma Publishing, 2018) and the zine “Outsourced!...” (Revolt Magazine, 2017). His poems appear or are forthcoming in Philippines Graphic, DIAGRAM, Small Orange, Radius, Ariel Chart, NĪNSHAR Arts, querencia, and elsewhere. He tweets at @KarloSevilla2