AMANDA
NADELBERG
CADOGAN
How comforting to find yourself
viewing a tele program that you
have witnessed before.
And
you Cadogan what are
you doing over there
with the shovel and
the chair? Do you like
the chair? Do you like
to sit on the shovel?
Does the chair like the
shovel? If you break this
car you’ll have to go
home on the paddy wagon
shameful with the shovel or
the
chair not the two. You
will
need one hand to keep
in your pocket. There
you’ll find
comfort in warmth and
quiet.
There is no tele
on the paddy wagon.
You may find the quiet to
be nice. Otherwise unpleasant. Here
is to a long line of
your descendents
may they all be quiet
and
warm with hands full of
pockets.
CHESLAV
The only place my mom
takes me is the dentist.
KARP
Like fruit from
was difficult not to
desire her. She was truly
a
lovely ripe peach,
nectarine,
whatever. Like a hurricane
he ate when he was
hungry.
A fish-fruit would be good
for the body. Sweet protein.
On a corner across from a
baseball field please.
Cooked
well this dish would
benefit
from a glass of water.
Even
if it doesn’t pay
well I am
going to drive a fruit
truck
from the country to the
other
country. Gentle. Gentle they
tell me over unpaved
roads.
Use a pencil to test the skins
when stopping for gas.
Fruit
and gas have had big
roles in
dreams this year.
Serenade me
slow. I promise to
respond
within four to six
months.
PANSY
This was the moment
that no one had been
waiting for. The
flight attendant
stepped up to
the bat. Delivered
the speech
unmercifully.
Back at home
she answered fan
mail like it was
her religion. Wore
a green wedding
dress. What language
do you speak, she
asked everyone. She
was a visionary of
sorts. Asserted
her legs firmly in
the park. Unafraid
of the night and
its colors she
would count as
much as she wanted.
She sent some flowers
to the moon received
an illegible yet
warm thank you
the following day.
All of this is
to say that
good comes where
you let it come. When
the state police come
to your front door
and
offer to install an escalator
to the moon make
sure you let them.