BENJAMIN NIESPODZIANY is a Chicago-based writer whose work has appeared in Booth, Puerto del Sol, Conduit, Indiana Review, and elsewhere. His debut poetry collection was released in 2022 through Okay Donkey and his novella of connected stage plays is out now with X-R-A-Y. You can find more at neonpajamas.com.

On the other side
of the street, I saw
my neighbor wheeling
a sea lion into his home.

I ran into him later
that week on a walk, I
with headphones and he
with his dog, and he said,

No, that was just my dog. Look.
And he shows me the dog
I already see, the dog
I'm already petting.

This is Jessie, he says.
She was dressed
as a sea lion, he says.
For fun.

I laughed because
he said fun and that's what you do
but I knew he was lying to me.
I know what I saw.


Volume 15.1, winter 25

BENJAMIN NIESPODZIANY

Seal

after Rebecca Wadlinger