Coffins are actually rather comfortable
plush and velvety like your Grandmothers
white church gloves.

My brother looked comfortable
the coffin fit him like the tailored suit
we only got for this occasion.

Inside his jacket was a small pocket
our rag-tag stuffed sewn up elephant
rested there with my baby brother.

Our house felt desolate
things seemed out of place
unbalanced, the dinner table
was lopsided and there was
an empty space on my bed
the size of an elephant.

I caught your attention
for the first line! Now I
throw in some literary
devices, rhetorical or
syntactical with special
care to keep the lines ba-
balanced and even. make
sure punctuation lines
up and rhyme the last
syllable.  time for a
different stanza?

Abstract word insert
here, connect to the
title and relate all the
connotations that mi-
might be associated
with my work of
beauty. Crap. I’m
running out of ideas.
Refer to dictionary:
it doesn’t help me.
What makes me sad.
Ah. there’s the final
touch.

When I was cleaning the toilet
I killed my angel
because I brushed her off my sleeve.
to be fair, the devil suffered a fall
as well, but he only dropped a few feet.

The porcelain surface gleamed
in the light cast by the single bulb
flickering valiantly to stay alight
like the little engine who could.

The bathroom was my place of refuge,
it seemed like the only place I received
some privacy whenever my parents were home.
I reverently removed my Superman wrist watch
and placed it on the sink alongside my vintage
Spiderman lunchbox complete with a thermos
and collapsible spoon.

Inside the thermos I had hidden a pack of razors
I swiped from Jim’s Hardware store; he was nearly
blind, but liked me because I always cleaned his yard.
I set the razors on the edge of the bathtub for a moment
and only looked at them.

When someone knocked on the door
I refused to answer.

somewhere a boy(at last)in who darkness
uncoils
unfolds drips
down each bone
down each finger
            to each tip
            tingling
            crackles
            the teeming
            camber
            of a girl's
            waist feels
            like sweat
            tastes like tears
            wetness and molasses
            smeared mascara torn
            tights around brief ankles
            a skirt lifted and immaculate heaving cries

Beep
Hey,it's me.
There's a few things
I just thought you should know,
If you still cared.
I took the job,
We're moving in a few weeks.
I wasn't sure if you would want them,
The pictures,
So I packed them
In the box
With the bear
From that carnival
An eternity ago.
Also,
It was a boy.
He has your smile
He sleeps like you too.
That was all I had to say, really.
So I guess I-
I'll see you
Soon.
Bye.

...press 8. To replay...
Message Replayed.

Cedric approached you
in the playground and said
My sister Christina

wants to see you
on the playing field lunchtime
and he said it

in a quiet voice
as if he didn’t want
the other boys to hear

he ran messages for girls
and off he went
to play with some other boys

leaving you to stare out
onto the empty playing field
and so lunch time

after you’d eaten dinner
you went onto the playing field
beneath the summer sun

and there she was
over by the wire fence
waiting for you

and you said
Cedric said you wanted to see me
and she said

Yes do you mind
if we walk off alone together
I don’t want other’s ears

to move in on our conversation
No sure
you said

Let’s go over by the woods
by the far fence
and so you walked off with her

across the playing field
by other kids who were playing
football or sitting talking

or playing skip rope
or whatever
and when you came

to the woods
you sat down with her
and she said

You do love me
don’t you?
I mean you’re not

seeing anyone else?
You looked across
the playing field

to where you’d sat
with another
some months before

and she had asked
the same question
but since then

it had turned
momentarily sour
Yes and no

you said
looking back at her
taking in her dark hair

and deep eyes
and how her hand
lay on her thigh

covered by grey skirt
and her naked knees
just visible

to the eye
What do you mean
yes and no?

she asked
you watched
her lips move

and replied
Yes I love you
and no I’m not

seeing another
and she smiled at you
and put her hand on yours

and waited for a kiss
and so you did
her lips on yours

out by the woods
on that summer day
out of doors.