1. estate sale
my house is a flea market.
the shoppers strolling through
caress beloved mugs and look
under tables. this is the couch
from which he leapt. this is
the chair in which I slept.
this is stained meaningful.
my house is a flea market.
the shoppers strolling through
caress beloved mugs and look
under tables. this is the couch
from which he leapt. this is
the chair in which I slept.
this is stained meaningful.
that is worn smooth. a stack
of coasters and a jar of bottle caps.
I filter through unnoticed and finger
the cash in my pocket. I nod
to my wife and touch my nose.
I've found a bargain. an ash
tray I bought at the house of
a dead college president. buy it.
buy it now. fill it with baubles
my mother wore and my
father's lost buttons.
***
2. supper
she held her index fingers
and thumbs in a circle.
she said: this much.
I said: a girth of asparagus.
enough for three.
her fingers weren't as
wide as they go.
there was room for more.
***
3. bare bones
there's a scaffolding
outside my back door.
amanda got
sweaty up there.
stripping and
scraping.
stripping
and painting.
there was grime
within the wrinkles
of her neck.
she laid on
her back like
michelangelo.
scraping.
stripping.
painting.
my wife's
moist collar.
***
4. critic
amanda said that I'm the
draw at the poetry reading
on saturday. it's the work
I said. she said no it's
mostly you. well
you're the one writing the poems.
I cleared my throat and
agreed. I said I'm not
going to share this carrot
cake with you. I got it
because you don't like it.
she said well honey your
poems are very very good.
of coasters and a jar of bottle caps.
I filter through unnoticed and finger
the cash in my pocket. I nod
to my wife and touch my nose.
I've found a bargain. an ash
tray I bought at the house of
a dead college president. buy it.
buy it now. fill it with baubles
my mother wore and my
father's lost buttons.
***
2. supper
she held her index fingers
and thumbs in a circle.
she said: this much.
I said: a girth of asparagus.
enough for three.
her fingers weren't as
wide as they go.
there was room for more.
***
3. bare bones
there's a scaffolding
outside my back door.
amanda got
sweaty up there.
stripping and
scraping.
stripping
and painting.
there was grime
within the wrinkles
of her neck.
she laid on
her back like
michelangelo.
scraping.
stripping.
painting.
my wife's
moist collar.
***
4. critic
amanda said that I'm the
draw at the poetry reading
on saturday. it's the work
I said. she said no it's
mostly you. well
you're the one writing the poems.
I cleared my throat and
agreed. I said I'm not
going to share this carrot
cake with you. I got it
because you don't like it.
she said well honey your
poems are very very good.
