Luka Hidley The Last House on Main Street

The Last House on Main Street

by Luka Hidley

Isn’t even a house, It used to be a gas station and Lawnmower repair shop My grandfather built for himself Where my mom wasn’t allowed. Being named after a boy wasn’t enough She had to watch the phone: The perfect job for a lady.

I complained about the lack of grass In a junkyard of rust sprouting History from the ground In the form of railroad mile markers And was told I should be happy with The black walnut tree Dropping free protein. Besides, no one was making me Shoot raccoons for my dinner.

I said I’d never shoot an animal, Especially one that washes its hands. Grandpa said wait till you have Three hungry tummies And no welfare benefits Because “God does everything for a reason” Even when giving a track star polio.

Anna Kuehne is a senior pursuing a degree in Secondary Education, English major with an ESL minor and the Creative Writing certificate. She lives in the tiny town of Auburn with her family and enjoys lounging by a bonfire with close friends. She also is a competitive swimmer who lives for the thrill of setting new personal times for the 50 and 100 breastroke and loves to hang out with her swim friends. She would like to thank the Swim and Dive Club members for their tremendous support both in and out of the water as she continues her journey towards becoming a teacher. She also wishes to extend her gratitude to her past and present creative writing professors Dr. Roberson, Dr. Fanning, and Dr. Bean for their feedback and continual encouragement in her creative writing.