PARKA pulled close as you
COWER against the knifing cold;
TURBO engines roar at liftoff from the
DUCHY in the north.
See more at Notes by Steven.
Category: contributors
An Odd Fish
COWER in kitchen till last moment, forced to serve calamity:
TURBO, misspelled fish adrift on chef’s menu. Shaking proffer to
DUCHY’s puffed up Duke, grown splenetic, long time since famous
PARKA worn in expedition, when he worked for the attention sought.
Some Assembly Required
COVER your face with your hands.
REFER to the instructions; watch them
MORPH away from intelligibility.
TWIRL the tools in hand to fight frustration.
See more at Notes by Steven.
Unjade me
COVER now the weariness of later years.
MORPH to a child. Behold the new with wonder!
TWIRL for no reason: motion, recent option, is delight.
REFER back. Can I replenish, bring forward joy?
122
EXERT the effort to crush the last
GRAPE so the cup is completely full.
GAUNT faces of mourners can’t see the
THIRD day promised––yet.
Alternate:
GRAPE Kool-Aid refreshes the
THIRD group to come through as the
GAUNT faces of the adults
EXERT the worthwhile effort to endure.
See more at Notes by Steven.
Homo Mortifer
GAUNT cannoneers move to deadly choreography,
EXERT their all in deadly trance, keep throwing
GRAPE at enemy ships. Of all engaged, they lose a
THIRD—born to a race that sheds blood on land, in sky, at sea.
121
CRUST forms when inertia can’t be
QUITE overcome by willpower, but
ALLAY your fears; the fridge light’s
CLICK hides the mold.
See more at Notes by Steven.
Pie: Culinary Constant
ALLAY that downcast mood with apple pie.
CRUST is flaky, Granny Smith so tart in center.
QUITE true that much is grim, but pie’s got splendor!
CLICK and doom scroll, why? Let’s have some pie.
120
VALOR cannot be imported;
FRUIT of this nature grows
ODDLY when transplanted in-
STEAD of cultivated.
See more at Notes by Steven.
Chief Virtue
ODDLY, some name the rarely called on
VALOR for ultimate virtue; not, in valor’s
STEAD, descending Spirit’s
FRUIT, patience, say, of need each day.