Elderly Immigrant in Rest Home

What more you want me to say? 

They brought me to America 

When I was not yet four— 

No memories of the motherland, 

No children no dreams left 

To even up the score. 

Curtains in Hellas

….and the winning entry in our annual 

Summer Art Imitating Nature category is

Ms. Phyllophila Ephemera’s highly original 

And bewitchingly lifelike pattern—

A myriad of houseflies captured for posterity 

On an arresting white background! 

(Applause) 

The Proprietor of the Paradise Inn

Tainted goods? My apologies 

But they weren’t always spoiled— 

They went off when 

I caught them in the pantry 

With their pants down, eating 

Rotten apples.

Chef de la Birdbrains

Merde du poulet! My mind 

On ever greater things to create,

In my jardin d'herbes I did not see

 

Under the sage that petite yellow crocus

On my way back to the kitchen— 

Mon Dieu! In my next life, please

 

Bring me back as a chicken. 

 

 

Cypresses in Eden

Because they fail to regenerate when cut back too severely, 

Cypress trees have been associated with the underworld for ages— 

They also bear small round seed cones resembling apples, 

But no one would ever be caught dead trying to eat them.