Black flag over Carmel

Not the skull and crossbones 

flown by pirates 

but the black American flag

flown by our neighbor

the one who allegedly stabbed 

his dad to death,

who allegedly beat and handcuffed 

his mom

two days before Russia 

invaded Ukraine.  

I recall seeing him once or twice  

working in his garage

under the flag

but I didn’t know he wanted 

to deport his mom 

to Guantanamo Bay. 

He also told the police 

his parents 

pimped him out to politicians

as a child:

He said his parents 

were the Clintons 

and he was Donald Trump.

So forgive me if I don’t take 

the Donald’s word for it

when he calls Putin’s 

preparations for war

 “genius” while claiming it  

never would’ve happened 

under his watch.