“Vultures and Fancy Clothes”
A lizard reclined on the radiator,
his legs splayed,
his three inches
of space diminishing
digging for a dream
the road heat spied by inns
twins in animal cracker dresses
a rotten traveler in animal skins
waves though a bear beast
mugs of grog slid by a barkeep
wounded by arrows
a terrifying breeze
through dove mint trees
the electrified bear
waltzes to his cave
for an afternoon of cookie tea
then dinner with the mouse skeletons
out of my closet walks a force
harpsichord, strung to his vibrations
a variation on the sand horse
too grand for the ballroom of life
honey to the hairy trees
lifted over hay bails
your heart and photo arrays
dress me up to rabbits and scarecrows
nothing’s right and all candles
blear another moment.
nicholauspatnaude 