Mother portions them out
one-eighth of a cup
in six mounds, cupped
and guarded like treasure
surveying the gems
and picking out the chaff
To trade with the most
gullible: our sister
who we convinced to like
Our throw-away flavors
buttered popcorn
bubble gum and banana
And Dad who ate his
faster and begged,
unashamed, for charity
A sudden car trip in the dark.
Your blue hands
curled in the coffin.
A poem about a childhood adventure in imagination
Stealthy in bare feet
three bandits come.
Prize swivels high between
striped green leaves.
The sky is oiled orange
gleaming along the metal
and matte of cement steps
Mountains are earth, rebelling
Straining against dirt-ness
against gravity
A poem about a little girl sitting in a whicker chair, watching a parade go by from her spot in the bay window.