she got me an electric shaver
that goes buzzzzzzzzz
it has liberated me
from the old routines
the dull blades and static shaves
in front of the same old sink
the same old mirror

it has liberated me
from the foams and gels
the stinging burn of aftershave
my face is hardly as smooth
but oh, what freedom!
now I can shave where I want
anytime I want

but all this freedom
is fertile ground for bad ideas
like when I brush whisker dust
from the shaving foil
into a pepper shaker
and place it on the table
next to the salt



J. Archer Avary (he/him) is a former TV weatherman and founder of Sledgehammer Lit. He’s gong to have a banging summer because his debut novella ’The Dog Sitter’ is forthcoming in July via the Daily Drunk Press, and the world is his friggin’ oyster. Twitter: @j_archer_avary