THE THINGS I CARRIED, A SCHOOL POP

in the pockets of my shorts

was
a plastic 

speedy gonzales

i chewed off 

a gifted key ring
&

a folded handkerchief

too big for me

i didnt like to use

&
an orphan mortice key
that i wanted to be magic
but knew it never would

FRIDAY POPS

ART IN LEATHER BOOTS

monsters rule the earth

science goes underground

we are superseding the insects
our brains blocked with plaque

and our dreams and hopes are embarrassed now
in
the 
loaming
fields
of 
stone

art pulls on its boots
and walks on down the hall

looking for the library
and the weapons there


BOMBS

what was there
is not there now

thus spake bombs


SCREENBURN GHOSTS

whenever i close my eyes
you ghosts drift curious
into the doorway

youre ghosts of my memory
not ghosts of the grave
tho
you
mingle
with 
the grandparents 
and 
the assassinated miscellany 

you are the shadow of all our youth
on my eyelids

a soft screenburn haunting
wondering where i am now
and
friendly


CANDLE

candle burning
at both ends

till there is no wax left

and soon no wick

then briefly
i am

entirely

only

an orphan fire


STRANGE DAYS

so one strange day i woke
a member of the

  world of adults

tho i knew i was once a child
and why some things make more sense now

its
nothing
i
had
questions
about
back when i was small

a plastic mouse 
in my 
school trouser pocket

pic from bluemaize.net