Compromise by DAmien Cowger

Damien Cowger has a bachelor of science in elementary education from Northern Arizona University and a certificate in automotive technology from the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. He is a writer of short fiction and poetry and has been recently published in The Shine Journal, Midnight Times, and Origami Condom. In December 2008 he was awarded first prize in the first annual six-word memoir contest in the journal, 40 Below. He and his wife Ashley, who is also a published writer, live in Ohio, where they run the online literary journal, MFA/MFyou at MFAMFYOU.COM. Damien is enrolled in the master of arts in poetry program at Ohio University.

Rotund does not accurately depict your body
as it blankets our couch, leaving no room for me.
Reasoning with you is futile, and shoving you
is just plain rude. I attempt to relocate
you by nudging your overstuffed belly.
Though to be effective, I’d need a forklift or a fist.
In lieu of disrespecting a friend, I’ll permit you
to slumber there in my favorite spot. And since no
one is around, I think I’ll snuggle up
with you, listen to your purr and filch back some of my body heat.