Rear Vision

Rear Vision

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He rolled his pick-up truck

Into Dad’s tire shop

To get a new set of treads.

I was home for the holidays,

Waiting for Dad to close shop.

Cranny used to live across the river.

I rode the school bus

With his children. His truck

Looked as battered and seamed

As he did. My Dad

Fingered the scar left where

The side mirror had broken off.

I don’t care about rear-vision

Mirrors, Cranny said. I quit

Looking back a long time ago.

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Sassy Moon

            Sassy Moon

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Sassy moon

Struts across the sky

Like a baby,

Puffy belly pulling

My attention.

Sassy moon

Just hanging ‘round

Beaming. Full

Of itself.

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Old Dog

            Old Dog

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I awake from a dream

In a foreign language

And understand all the words

I open the stove to replenish

The wood. Soak it up

I tell the old dog.

She glides into the fire.

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I Am A Bat

I Am A Bat

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I am a bat.

My wings are folded.

I hang

Behind the barn door

On my Father’s farm,

Only it doesn’t belong

To him anymore.

My Father sold the farm.

But I am a bat

So that doesn’t matter.

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Hell

            Hell

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Do you realize

What with global warming

And all, Hell might not have

Another chance to freeze over?

Makes me feel kind of sad.

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Go Fish

Go Fish

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Go fish, young man, go fish.

What a smelly tale that makes.

Of course, it all depends on which scale

You use to weigh it.

A gill will get you two

All in a breath or more.

Throw a line and look hard,

You’ll find it in the fin,

Though a wake in the water

Trails along behind.

Worm or no worm,

Bait is what it’s all about.

You tie your fly and I’ll tie mine,

I always say.

Hooked you good, didn’t I?

But then I was looking for a keeper.

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First Church of Mortification

            First Church of Mortification

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First time, in Church, with my Mom,

Three years old, me, all eyes and ears.

Methodist Church, North Salem, Indiana.

Stained glass, organ music, men in suits.

Women wearing “Sunday” rayon, hats and gloves.

Me, crisp new dress, shiny new shoes.

Communion Sunday, chips of cracker on a plate,

Glass thimbles of grape juice handed down each pew.

I watch, big eyes, I take, I eat, I drink.

“You are supposed to wait,”

Mom’s shrill whisper rings angry.

Everybody looks.

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Dreams In Shades Of Blue

            Dreams In Shades Of Blue

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He told me lonely in a crowd

(I knew him not, he was anon)

That wishes only grow aloud

Or underwater in a pond.

To save my life, I took a pot

And planted evergreen and rue.

And there I found that like as not

Hid laughter, rest and joy a few

And under cover opened up

Like periwinkle in a cup.

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Cage the bird

Cage the bird

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Cage the bird

Bind her feet

Clip her wings

Whiskey, neat

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