I’ve owned two finger rings in my life
my high-school orb that rattled around my bones
and a snug gold wedding band
each sending mildewed expectations
Mom never met Rachel
or the kids
You never know what we'll churn up in cleaning a stall
I’ve owned two finger rings in my life
my high-school orb that rattled around my bones
and a snug gold wedding band
each sending mildewed expectations
Mom never met Rachel
or the kids
Little Jimmy, Ohio-boy
Friday the 13th blizzard
And then the pneumonia
My birth story, in short
As for the grandparents,
I couldn’t save any of them.
yes, the spoiled prince and the virginal pussy
pul-leaze!
my ears grate
the striated penis
smiles
all the way to the end
screw me in the middle of the night
burn the bone clear
I’m still the skinny intellectual
regarding fairy tales

Dollar Bill’s
selfies
in oval frames
Can You
Cancun?
Cancun
Canoe?
Can You?
as an expletive
or even greeting
Top student
Good son, good daughter
Good spouse
Careful and caring lover
Loyal and hard worker
Good citizen
Faithful member
Prized customer
Patient and firm parent
Quietly humorous
You know, the model of rectitude
Goodly recipe for disaster
Pinpoints of pain to remind
of deep shame
PEPPERCORN
GARLIC
spontaneously
brilliant
bare bones
ignition un-
impossible