My pocket monsters
were three friends on a playground
that got in a fight.

“Alex (Nidoking),
I choose you! Use tear friendship”
Super effective.

“Nick (Sudowoodo),
I choose you! Use lie. lie. lie.”
Hit 3 time(s). No effect.

“Ariel (Blastoise),
I choose you! Withdraw! Hurry!”
She went last; fainted.

No Gym Leader had
stood a chance—your moves were the
strongest in the game.

After five or so
years I forgot about
the deleted save.

Tyler Pufpaff (@TylerPufpaff) is the Author of A Quarter Life. Tyler’s work has appeared or is forthcoming in Torrid Literature Journal, Havik, Coraddi, perhappened, Emerge Literary Journal, and has been anthologized in Poetry Diversified 2019.