proposals
as evolves a ‘we’
to tour hours
cats chase dust
with approximately a
missionary zeal

amused,
as is natural when
speaking of
cats chasing
dust particles in the sun
one presses on in

I’ll say this:
proudly humbled by
attentions
including
yours of course – you patron you –
I’m beyond speechless.

stupefied
by your stupendous
bothering
even to read
such sycophantic drivel
i’ve just this to say

set it up
chuck rock into hole
make the play
go your way
chalk it up, shake it off, move
onto the next point

with that said
agree to disagree
things in threes
often come
“how’re you”, “i’m good”, “good to hear”
not seldom is heard

a wager
between you and me
simple bet
but for keeps
who can remember better
each others’ phone numbers

i got it
i got your number
on my mind
i got i
got it down pat and maybe
i’ll call

eight six and
seven five, also
three oh ni-
ee-ine oh
eight six seven five three oh
first got to dial nine

i bought it
bought the hotel room
and you’re not
in it i
guess you reworked our lil’ plan
or was it all lies

i’m pregnant
you say it ain’t so
no i am
oh for real
one hundred percent knocked up
hey then good for you

dealing with
your babymama
twists your heart
playing parts
rend feels and thoughts in two
to make it okay

u alright?
ya. stable at least.
stable? what?
…nevermind…
as opposed to what, i mean…
just stable, that’s all

bored to tears
been that way for years
like a babe
sob inside
for want of tender nipple
just a wee nibble

smoke so much
use it like a crutch
just just cause
to have fire
upon person at all times
faithful pocket bic

shadorma
was fur ein format
goes this way
then goes that
builds up to brilliant bit
then ends with a splat

old fat al
he gave sandwiches
which he made
and paid for
to poor people in the park
long about lunch time

fat al died
simply went kersplat
heart gave out
too much weight
mourners came from far and wide
to a pauper’s grave

bought a plot
where i will interred
my remains
over which
a stone bench reads “Whatever you say.”
because that’s my line

i use it
time after time like
whatever
you say dear
have you been inside our home
cluttered with debris

throws her shoes
right at me i swear
i don’t know
what to do
i’ve thought about calling the law
but they’d take me in

if i could
i sure would but i
don’t know how
like right now
shoe flying across the room
what am i to do?

duck of course
giggle, coo, pretend
that she’s not
violent-
ly assaulting me by shoe
second shoe comes hard

my elbow!
my damn funny bone
humorus
my whole arm
i think you elbowcapped me
are you satisfied?!

but she’s not
and she comes a-swinging
packs a punch
in the gut
does my dear esmerelda
yeah ezz is her name

she’s vicious
sometimes, also just
to strangers
for nothing
spite of the first order
gleeful ill intent

persistent
dogged rehearsal
of a way
of counting
words into a shadorma
twere easily faked

but the break
that comes crashing down
has a ride
all its own
while shadorma casts its pall
like a dirge or charge

ramming speed!
comes at me head-first
sounds like xena
holy fuck
hammers into my midrift
as i fall crumpling

Ezz’s knees
just grinding into
my kidneys
her full weight
she gets up on top of me
bouncing up and down

don’t fight back
don’t take full damage
she will not
kill you but
this is certain to hurt
tomorrow at work

Ezz’s kid
in footie peejays
gazes on
from doorway
as she whales on me; both fists
swing wild and she screams

LIED TO ME
did not i swear it
TAKE IT BACK
i did not
she backfists me in the mouth

i’m bleeding
satisfied yet dear
SATISFIED
knock it off
“knock it off Mom,” says the kid
DON’T MAKE IT YOU NEXT

she won’t, though
ever hit her child
she’ll hit me
she just did
but she won’t lay hands on him
which he relies on

as he runs
across the small room
and he leaps
on her back
My hero, ezz’s firstborn
cameron’s his name

she gets up
cam clings to her back
as she stands
monkey boy
blood on the back of my hand
lips busted up bad

“Dad’s bleeeding.”
NO HE’S NOT HE’S FINE
“yes he is.”
yes i am
you deserve worse than you got
normal voice at last

“I’m hungry.”
you’re not go to bed
feed the boy
shut your mouth
“It’s only four-forty-five.”
go watch tv then

bandaid strips
won’t stick to my lips
need to shave
take a dump
ow my ribs Ezz is berserk
jesus christ my nuts

comic strips
big little little
a sequence
of panels
amounting to a cadence
like the shadorma

Notepad verse
he said she said bits
down a notch
spouse abuse
is not a laughing matter
like cats chasing dust

…

thx to

the secret keeper

for getting me writing shadorma