Steve Hickoff

You News, You Lose

the smoke
no joke

our hope
a rope

the heart
a dove

a lark
cry love

with news
you lose

some feel
it over

for me
ill wind

we drink
grow sober

Steve Hickoff is the poetry editor of Spitball: The Literary Baseball Magazine. He’s published in The Quarterly: The Magazine of New American Writing, Turnstile, Gray’s Sporting Journal, The Penguin Review, Pinchpenny, and others. He also co-wrote “Drivin’ on 9,” a song first recorded by Ed’s Redeeming Qualities, later covered by The Breeders on their platinum-certified album Last Splash. He lives in Maine. stevehickoff.com