Christmas Tree Scarring

the neighbors’ son wanted
to hang himself but couldn’t
no one taught him how
so only a bulbless lamp swings
every evening from the ceiling
death’s afraid to enter the apartment
christmas tree scars sprouting in shadow

Mykyta Ryzhykh has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize, and published widely, including in journals such as The Tiger Moth Review, Monterey Poetry Review, and The Moth.