​Howard Camner       Miami.    (Geoffrey Philp)
The Screamer

The Screamer stands stone still
right in front of the grocery store
He watches you approach
like a predator eyeing his prey
He licks his chops and drools on his shoes

If you ignore him
he won't bother you
but if you make eye contact
you just crossed the line

He opens his mouth three feet wide
and screams so loud
you have to put your hands over your ears

and when you do 
he rifles through your pockets
to take what he finds
and just for fun;
just for the hell of it,
he sucks out your soul
and wears it as a cape