“Kill Battery”
There’s nobody left among us
to see-saw the canary act
to wedge cheese into mouse-traps
to deliver garbage
back to the offending sentry.
Push reverse and hit cure
your life rolls then flashes
beneath the marquee of former jails
radiant attributes of a doll in fame
the glamour, the lipstick
all can be yours
yet you retreat to the canary cage, always
spineless,
you pull up your blanket of bones
past your chin,
your father’s chin
and all pirate ships draw blank,
although the guns need kissing.
nicholauspatnaude 