poetry

stuffy confidential

stuffy confidential

slowly they come to tell me the news
a parade of fuzzy confidences:
Pete
Kiki
Mr. Fuzzles
Yip-Yappin’ Coyote (the Yip-Yappin’ Yapster)

I snuggle them one by one
pat each bottom like a baby perched on my shoulder
listen close as they whisper in my ear
touch my nose to their synthetic fur
to breathe in childhood
and the relief of de-stressing distress
look into all the beautiful brown eyes in the room
and nod

I’m here
I’m listening
you are loved

poetry

smog

smog

here’s a new kind of pink sky
in mid-day
tinged with brown
laced with black plumes of smoke
curved beakers of nuclear power
newly wired townships strung with black web
people crowding around
to make themselves sick
then pack a pickup bed high
before moving on