yesterday i killed a cockroach crawling across the kitchen stove smacked it with the heel of my palm it flipped on its back and kicked and kicked and kicked i imagine it cussed and prayed in cockroachese god! please! and fuck me running! alas it wasn’t spite it wasn’t smite it committed no sin (alas) i smacked it again with the heal of the palm of the hand of an unkind ungod it kicked no more i wanted to cook some chicken in a clean kitchen it wanted to borrow a grain of sugar
publication
ah, it must be five-o-clock on a friday in colorado (i can smell the funk in the air)
my poem “new year’s meh” was just published in “Edge of Humanity Magazine” you can check it out here
i’ve been following Edge of Humanity for about a year now, and always enjoy the read. lot’s of good articles, poems and art. don’t forget to support e-zines like this, they publish poets like you and me =)
polyester (1st draft)
polyester such a pretty word when draped across the cellar door or swept across the marble floor or wadded up in a porn store dumpster say it with me now polyester i once dated identical twin sisters poly and ester they clashed and they schemed they split straight down the seam nothing loved me quite like jealous sisters gave me thrills, gave me blisters they lived in my dresser drawer which rhymes with cellar door so beautiful from the polyester mountains of puru to polyester mines of malaysia the motherload of our supply-side glows like green naugahyde tastes like formaldehyde chafes more than rawhide smells like something plastic died polyester the hidden treasure in every pair of walmart socks that’s a haiku think of all the pretty things we say every pedestrian day “pleased to meet you” or “hold the elevator” or “apocalyptic table candles” or “pancreatic cancer” or “seasick stallions” or “wandering cartwheels” or “siddhartha never sat in traffic, only under mango trees” or “hey, we’re out of toiletpaper” so beautiful polyester what word could taste sweeter pressed between the lips? not a kiss, not gossamer, not grandmother’s peach cobbler not cashmere, not lyocell, not fleece (pol-yyy-eessssssssssss-ter) what could be smoother? not vanilla, not sarsaparilla not satin, not lace certainly not velveeta what could wrap and warm our broken souls any tighter than a brand new j crew christmas sweater? sing it with me now – polyester! don’t dis on my wardrobe don’t pull on that thread you can’t break it, can’t burn it, can’t breathe it can’t eat, can’t beat it with an ugly stick can’t lose it, can’t leave it, can’t bleach it can’t bury it alive cause it comes back all angry and zombie-eyed can’t wear it out, can’t wear it in, can’t live without it can’t wash it in hot water can’t wish it all away say it with me now polyester
posted for shay’s word garden word list
jalopy dreams 