These are a Few of my Flavor-Lit Things
read by sarah stanton
Red beans on fork tines and bowls full of scrambleds;
white fluffy frostings with drippings from candles;
left-over casseroles boasting green strings;
these are a few of my flavor-lit things.
Babaganush, crust of bread (pumpernickel);
milk from a goat and a kosher dill pickle;
thin crust and deep dish dough discs, seasonings;
these are a few of my flavor-lit things.
Donuts and peanuts and glasses of bubbles;
sandwiches stacked to the roof of my troubles;
curds without curry, un-burnt offerings;
these are a few of my flavor-lit things.
When the gut pangs,
when the crave clings,
when I'm feeling flat,
I simply succumb to my flavor-lit things,
and soon I will feel too fat.
© Jamie Durling
Wearing a pair of second-hand shoes, I wonder
read by salli shepherd
what sorts of things their former owner did—
did she sex it up with Senators,
sip orange juice spiked with booze?
Did she ever say, ventriloquist,
play dumb at barbecues?
Did she always wink at strangers,
wrap her legs around taboos,
use a curling iron, knife-fight,
write a handbook of How-Tos?
Did she ever hail a taxicab, Black Flag
a monster roach? Did she flat refuse
to compromise, excise a rotten tooth?
Did she ride a bucking bronco, did she
free a Christmas goose? Did she lose
a mint at Bingo, smoke in phone booths,
shave her pubes? Did she pepper spray a rapist,
did she playlist Manilow? Did she show up late
to parties, spit in public, pick her nose?
Did she pose for naked pictures? Did she choose
to live alone? Did she donate blood, buy flood insurance,
fly a red balloon? Did she calendarly-plan her days
or blaze towards impromptus?
Did she scoff at lofty causes,
watch more Oprah, or more news?
Did she ever once consider
what would happen to the shoes
she'd donated to the Thrift Store
on a whim, one winter Tues.?
K.R. Copeland is a dreamer, in other words, she sleeps a lot. When not sleeping, she's awake. Ya, she's deep like that. You can find her work all over the Web, and in various print venues as well. Now, shhh...it's nearing naptime.
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