Tanka Girl

he may be waiting
and it may be you know it
but you have the right
to pretend you're unaware
until you hear his pacing

half a cantaloupe
I eat it and the cat meows
follows me around
because he wants to eat some
because he loves to eat fruit

a bag of clusters
bought at the grocery store
caramel chocolate coated
smeared fingers, crusty corners
a diabetic delight

people used to laugh
mini bar, martini bar,
the cocktail hour
hair set, suit pressed, ten cent bet
squeeze money from a towel

he wants to counsel
so he puts on a suit vest
and penny loafers
lets his hair grow out silver
and takes a stoic approach

doctor lifts the skin
layers of fat are exposed
pink and red mingle
she never felt comfortable
white not brown, brown not blond, girl

four hundred dollars
folded and rolled in a can
mother's tin nest egg
each dollar accounted for
sealed away for future

she's not feeling it
going through the emotions
wishing she were numb
how he talks about the girl
fingers around a wine glass

she is all jangles
she ain't got no melody
people think she's bright
she is like a glass
overused she makes you sick

I point with a book
afraid I will get too close
the cat understands
the spider I point at squats
in that moment is God's breath

the paint brush leaves lines
that you wish you could remove
you apply more paint
separation grows deeper
a world dipped in acrylic

warning sign orange
orange that means toxic content
Halloween is here
wrappers pile on the counter
brown smears around his smile

three friends sit and drink
one feeds the camp fire and smiles
another smokes grass
the third clears his throat and says
what would make this better is

all these cars rushing
cutting across the divide
splitting and forking
such graceless speeding
blocked off thoughts and mindless rush

japanese maple
pizza delivered late night
the way branches arch
the way the car pulls the curb
it's the american dream

i feel distracted
needing more entertainment
the tv is on
i've got chips, brownies and milk
my ass feels so effing fat

Wendy stands alone
people around her shimmer
blur out of focus
because Wendy is beauty
still in the noise of living

enchanting with song
you leave me for the others
then Mizgir’ sees me
he leaves Kupava for me
even though my heart is yours

six candles melting
table greased with lemon pledge
papers under chairs
pretend hospitality
to the thrift store furniture

over Thai noodles
we discuss Munkácsy's art
mathematical lines
the balance of light and dark
the importance of gesture

powder puffs and patch
don't whistle in the green room
don't say it's good luck
producers may drink and snarl
but the show still must go on

they are a vision
dancing on the vinyl disk
a record that skips
her silver and sequin gown
his green tap dance bellboy suit

Moira's the first
five hundred twenty two years
guarding the tower
and she is the first woman
oh, what will the ravens think

Roxanne you broke hearts
your dimples and bodice tight
préciosité
the thing which knocks men to knees
and binds women behind lace

sitting on her legs
a church like any other
simple lines no stains
she chants as each bead is moved
Nam-Myōhō-Renge-Kyō

his is thirty six
his wisdom teeth have grown in
he wants to play drums
to look young he dyes his hair
and applies a facial scrub

winning is not might
hide behind a woman's skirts
vows include the brave
hands or guns can make an oath
diligence concludes the fight

pink and gold and green
creased in halves, quarters and thirds
attached by a slight
fold of over and under
light of a heart in the box

remember sunset
before the neon pink glow
your hand twisted mine
to keep the blue from my skin
and the stars were unclouded