be careful
when you
invite new
metaphors
into your
fresh built
box of a poem.

a small
house is
perfect
or a poet
that has
few silver
words left  
in their
pocket.

lower case
               is  cheaper
                            than uppercase.

as you nail
penny-nails
with your
wobbling
flat head
hammer;
simpleness
into
all your
lines.

be careful
metaphors
can act
like
miniature
tigers.

some
of the  
metaphors
want to start
problems
to scratch  
at your
floorboard
& swing from
your curtains
with their
sharp
retractable claws
& climb
on  your
window panes
& leave
their nose-prints
impressed
on each
window
in each
of your
stanzas.

take the
broom
& chase
the  troublesome
ones out
past the door jams
of your poem.

keep the
few
metaphors
that  are
asleep
at the
hearth.


the similes
you scattered
as a homecoming
blessing
turn into
see-through
butterflies
& flap
their wings
in symmetry
of beats
up the
wainscot

the sparrow
of your
voice
awakes on
the swinging
perch of
your small simple
birdcage
          & begins
                     to chirp
& the
symbols
hiding in
the nooks
& crannies
come to your
table to steal
crumbs & slices
of green cheese
that you
have sliced
quietly
from
the moonrise
slowly
forming
like onion skin
in the
lightbulb
you keep
dutifully hidden
in your head.

symbols squeak
and the metaphors
dream
of goldfish
swimming
in the periods
the little bowls
you
place
in kindness
at the  ends
of your stanzas.