Category: contributors

BLINK and you’ll miss the distinct sign of
HAIR growing, some might say barely inked, on the
HIPPO’s chin. The hippo, teenage, is on the brink of
LIMITing his minimal shaving and shrinking his parents’
LIVERs by making a stink, though not taking to drink.
QUARK! he croaks, like some missing link, a noise
ROWDY enough to make father hippo turn salmon pink:
‘STUFF and nonsense,’ father shouts, ‘you need a hippopotamus shrink!’

ENTRY is free if you can stand the manic
GIDDY crowd. If you want to drink you’ll need your hand
STAMPed. There you go. Watch your feet – try not to slip in the
VOMIT.

ARENA crowd is screaming, ‘Go for the try!’ As
BEFITs the self-centred inside centre, he says, Just a
JIFFY, I’m in control of this ball. I’ll kick it into
TOUCH.’ The crowd groans – a sustained, despondent sound.

CIVIL servants, en masse, in a rage,
ENTER the pothole-minded politician’s office,
IRATE at his effect on their combined
LIVERs, that feeling of bile swirling
ROUND. They settle, bitter, before the
TEPID MP, a lukewarm bath of a man,
TRULY a man who eclipses all the
USUAL machinations of the average legislator.                

My
DEBUT performance before the crowd is something I have
HOARDed from the moment of its final curtain. Of course it’s
SILLY to willy-nilly class that moment above all others, to keep UPPERmost a moment the hordes have certainly forgotten.  

The
LUPUS diagnosis en-
ABLED
SALLY to stay
ALIVE.

SALTY soup boils on our gas-fired stove, a hock of pork a
SLOOP on a broiling potato sea. The kitchen’s face is
STEAMing. My sweating mother sees me, stops me,
TRUSSes my arms to my side: “I know your taste buds’re itchin.’”

HEAVY-handed Frederick in his wife’s
FRILLy apron loads the dishes in the
FALSE-fronted dishwasher, sets the
CYCLE as he wishes. The water swishes.