Skid Row

fool-

hardy
pigeon

taking off
down

precarious
flight

of run-down
steps,

falls
hard

upon
crumb

bum on landing.

(First published in Poetry Salzburg Review #9, Spring 2006)

Cultivating the Species

Sow

Plenty of progeny,
My son--

Weed the pigweed
From the garden

When they're young.

(First published in Arabesques Review, v.2, issue 4)

Not So Scrappy Scrap Mental Man

To foundry,
To foundry,

To found
A mine pig,

Home again,
Home again,

Mind full
Of pig iron,

Jiggety-jig.

Depression in Ft. Atkinson, Wisconsin

Remember our pale, blue
Picket fence, Dad?

We painted it,
As good as new.

You stepped on the gas
Instead of braking,

Shot the Chevy thru.

(First published in Poetry Salzburg Review #2, Winter 2001/2002)

Under Wraps

The mole stays underground,
The moon's undercover;

Everything's understood.


(from The Intricate Evasions of As)

Reading between the Lines

white shoulders
the dream

ploughs
through



(from The Intricate Evasions of As)

Personification

--for John Levy, who was there

a goat prancing?
kids

cross the stream
clearly all

this must be sure
footed

fancy dancing, you
have to look before

you leap.


(First published in Mobius, Spring & Summer, 2005)