Old maids of the Energy Department Nobody saw them coming Or going Invisibility Their superpower. Cloris called to Rose In the Florida surf Time to get ready for the Flight to Cuba. The beach bag Filled with encoded secrets A short-wave radio Plutonium And sandwiches.
Known to the town youths As a reliable source of illicit beer Mr. Jolly startled When the reporter asked about Keg parties in the mountains. So too did the gym teacher Who met his fiancée, Now sporting a fresh Engagement ring And gold bracelet, At just such a woodland retreat. His standard retort When he … Read moreGetting Your Jolly
A farm family’s stormy middle child An out of season tornado Ready to rain blows On anything in his path. His parents Hoping to channel his Menacing energy Bought a third-hand tricycle Dented, chipped, and bent. Spinning furiously Vibrating with resolve Terry blustered Over Hardpan roads. His brother A would-be tricycle thief Suffered the dust … Read moreTerry the Tempest
Beneath my Covid mask My 4-year-old grandson Can’t tell what’s coming next. Do a cow, he says And I slowly work my way To a bold Baaaaa! That’s a sheep! He protests with glee And says Do it again. I roll my eyes Pretend to take a deep breath And let out A gentle meow. … Read morePandemic Repeat Cycle
Oil lamps flickered inside the Whale’s Teat filling it with dim, orange light. Black curls of smoke mixed with the peppery haze from pipes, cigars, and rolled cigarettes. A brown halo ringed the spittoons marking the patrons’ poor aim. A sour potpourri of sawdust, beer, and manure covered the floor. Every night dock workers filled … Read moreThe Belly of the Whale
“How’s his mood tonight?” the sword swallower asked, nervously fiddling with his knives and blades. “Does it matter? Do your act, get off the stage, and hope for the best,” the juggler said. “It beats digging potatoes in the snow.” “Do you think the Fool is doing okay?” the swallower asked. “I hear laughing, but … Read moreDost Thou Leg Break?
As cow thirty-seven lazily chewed its cud, Morris steadied himself against her flank. The cow lived with many others in a university research lab developing algae-based cattle feed that didn’t taste like a beached herring. The entire herd had windows on their sides opened as easily as a can of soda, connecting one of their … Read moreMapping the Inner Cow
Tiny garden plants snuggled into the soil arranged in tidy rows. Each day brought a little more sun and a little more warmth, as the seedlings stretched out their leaves and wriggled their roots deeper into the dirt. Two tomato plants raised side-by-side since their greenhouse days talked about the days ahead. “I’m gonna grow … Read moreMelon Baller
“Stop it,” Tim said. “C’mon, give it a try. It’s fun,” Winnie replied. “You’re wasting electricity.” “It’s not a waste if it’s for the health and safety of the crew. I’m the crew, and this keeps me from going crazy,” Winnie smiled. “I don’t think there’s an activity that’s going to bring you back from … Read moreFeeling Gravity’s Pull
Orville clung to his mother’s pelt; a wobbly passenger new to the world. Through squinty eyes he observed his mother’s steady progress as she went from termite mound, to rotted tree, to jakalberry grove. He considered her whip-like tongue collecting insects and fruit at a mad pace while she remained serene. Several times a day … Read moreBaited Breath