to 2 young eastern european women
grunting after
they backhand rallied
the camera cruised over
the crowd stopping
for a few seconds
on a middle-aged couple
as they cuddled
& I started to think about you
Michael Naghten Shanks [b. 1987] is a writer and editor from Dublin. His writing has featured or is forthcoming in various publications and anthologies, including The South Circular, Bare Hands Poetry, Ink Sweat & Tears, The Cadaverine, Bare Fiction, wordlegs, 30 under 30 (Doire Press), and New Planet Cabaret (New Island). He has been listed for prizes including the Fish Short Story Prize 2013 and the 2013 Over The Edge New Writer of the Year. He has read at events including the Shore Writers’ Festival, the 10 Days in Dublin festival, and at the London Irish Centre as part of a Young Irish Writers Showcase. He edits online literary journal The Bohemyth. For more information, visit michaelnaghtenshanks.tumblr.com.
