The Innisfree Poetry Journal www.innisfreepoetry.org by James Robison
Listen: bleachers of keys, engraved XCV Ampersand, Zed Naught 3 Score, and the sighs and cracks From the slim shadow by the windowpane Are an orphan's, darkened by maple shade. Bargain at the Orphanange, 1962 Pretty May sun tints, on her institutional bed, slippery pages carved by lead of algebra or stars in magazines and Melville, Donne, Ellery Queens, ads for cars and bread. Her sweatshirt rattles me: a dress. Her feet and legs are bare. Carelessness, taunting, done on a dare? I think she doesn't care. Nothing under but white elastic round her varnished rounds, cotton tightened by forms. Look, she says, face down. Look at my essay, kid, please? You're so good at doing English and I'm sick of getting D's. Copyright 2006-2012 by Cook Communication |