Unexpected Guests

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan
* * *
—Poetry by Nolcha Fox, Stephen Kingsnorth,
Caschwa, Shiva Neupane, and Joe Nolan
—Public Domain Photos Courtesy
of Joe Nolan and Medusa

 

 

COMPLAINT TO A POLICEMAN
—Nolcha Fox, Buffalo, WY

There’s a weird old lady in my mirror. I have no idea where she came from or who she is. She stares at me like she knows me. Come on in, take a peek!

Do you see what I mean? That weird old lady stole my reflection! I should press charges for kidnapping a minor.

Here, you stand in front of the mirror. Tell me if I’m crazy or what. Hey, that doesn’t look like you at all! Your face is so fat! And the real you is taller.

Ewwwww, creepy.

Thanks for breaking the mirror with your shoe! That’s one way to get rid of those strange people. But how do I get my real reflection back now?

 

 

 

 

—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

HELLO, MR. PARKINSON
—Stephen Kingsnorth, Coedpoeth, Wrexham, Wales

A visitor, unwanted, knocks,
not mine the choice of whether stays,
eviction can’t now be achieved,
so how to greet this one at door,
now stepping, uninvited, hall?

A protest vain—why scream or shout,
frustrated voice but wears me out—
but gracious host as I was taught,
accommodate, and treat as guest,
adjust home life as best to suit.

Folk ask how he has made his route,
but unknown journey, travel path,
the fact that he arrived, suffice,
acknowledge presence, like my wife,
discover more about his style.

I learn his nature, Mitty-like,
inconstant in the face he bears,
for other hosts tell storyline,
unlike my own experience,
though common features shared by all.

I do check some things, family,
his tree so little understood,
but basically he remains,
so little point in fighting back—
relax, find advantageous ways.

He’s forced to join me in my quests,
write poetry, and ballet dance,
those roads not followed, searched before.
as rise, recline as is my wont,
surprising him by driving on.

My greatest fear, demented friend
may choose to join him, as is trend,
but if so, not control the grace
that governs space I’m living in.
Except that I’ll not know he’s here.

Of course prefer if left this house
or better still, had not arrived,
but now he’s here, don’t curse or rant,
acknowledging his influence—
though keen should know on borrowed time. 

 

 

 

—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

BEWITCHED
—Caschwa, Sacramento, CA

In the master bedroom rests a dresser
set with a large mirror that sees all and
tells all. Our house rules are shredded to
pieces and sent back in time to when
meteors and asteroids collided with the
Earth causing a massive ripple effect
that destroyed the dinosaurs.

There is no hope to negotiate or to win
an argument with this bewitched piece
of furniture. It will only laugh at our
mistakes, and then the mirror image will
laugh doubly at our attempts to remedy
them.

Cleansing the mirror is sure to put irritants
in our noses, and if we leave the room
without bidding it goodbye we will return
to find our darkest secrets spread all over
the house.

When we directed the movers to put that
dresser in the master bedroom, we had
no clue that an unexpected guest was all
packaged up in that furniture. And now
that we know this, there is nothing we can
do to change its course.

Surely, removing the dresser to a dumpsite
would leave a place in the room to put in
a less dominant dresser. But how can we
know that a different piece of furniture
won’t take over the same way? 

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

MY BIGGER BRAIN
—Caschwa

On a typical day in the back yard one may view
the casual wanderings of squirrels and kitty cats
along the fence tops and rooftops, which provide
them a cozy safety zone quite impervious to the
show of teeth, claws, barks, and growls issued
by some territorial neighborhood dogs. My
bigger brain tells me that I should totally refrain
from accessing fence tops and rooftops myself.
And I happily comply. 

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Medusa

DIAMOND NECKLACE
—Caschwa

each special crystal loves its neighbor
and pledges allegiance to the string of jewels
of which it is part, adoration of this kind of art
all the brilliant light to keep secrets hidden
what better showpiece to shield the forbidden?
when fastened around your soft, tender neck
palatial fantasies arise in great surges
no walls or sentries deny its safe passage
regret and remorse are the first things it purges
the necklace may get more compliments than
you, yourself can draw, while neither will betray
the least of any flaw 

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Medusa

A SUBSTITUTE’S DILEMMA
—Caschwa

It finally came! the bell introducing that
brief interim between 4th and 5th period
when teachers of all sexes can visit the
restroom; could be called rush break

ahead of me an English teacher leaving
a trail of metaphors and expletives on
the hallway floor, almost ready to lose
her pants

alongside of me a math teacher shedding
his binomials, exponents, and New Math
pop quizzes

and there I nervously await that dreaded
moment when a crowd of females will
swarm into the men’s room ahead of me,
shut and lock the door, while my precious
time and bladder control can no longer wait

a sad fact, outside is not a tropical forest,
but is merely a few random pieces of
shrubbery, not nearly enough to enable a
guy to sneak behind an ample bush and pee
without a thousand adolescent eyes keenly
training on him from all different angles
and calmly recording the whole event on
their cell phones 

 

 

 

—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

BEFORE TALKING TO YOUR DOCTOR
—Caschwa

thoughtful poets will check to see if
their pause is planning to become pregnant

fully disrobe and take inventory

be courteous when all the gatekeepers ask
you for confidential information

enlarge those gruesome photos of your skin rash
so the doctor will not have to squint

be early so staff has time to awaken the doctor

 

 

 

 —Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

WRITING LESSON
—Caschwa

(Things I Should Be Grateful For, But Am Not)

Syntax: the people cry out for change and Congress
hurries to put new rules of order on the books.

Semantics: Congress takes centuries to fine tune
and explain what all these rules really mean.

Examples: Blacks are now free. Free to be lynched
in the public square if they violate the old rules
separating Blacks and Whites.
Women now have the right to vote. As long as their
voice mirrors what White men demand.

Democracy: Babe in diapers. Watch us grow!

 

 

 

 Shiva and Devyanshi Neupane

FERRY
—Devyanshi Neupane, age 5
Melbourne, Australia

I was with Daddy
When I was on the ferry,
I saw a big ocean,
Which I liked very much.
And I wrote a poem about it
With Daddy on the ferry. 

 

 

 

—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Nolan

SEAMUS’ PEN
—Joe Nolan, Stockton, CA
(In memory of Seamus Heaney)

Seamus said he’d dig with it,
Like a spade with which
To cut and shovel
Sod out of a bog.

Digging and digging
From day to day,
Mining for some silver words
To craft something to say
With wit and skill
To make his readers
Appreciate the play
Of thoughts, feelings,
Images,
Irish scenery and things,
Well enough
To make a living
Through his mining days.

__________________

Today’s LittleNip:

WHAT IS THAT?
—Caschwa

Just $19
daily, truck, new front bumper?
that’s rental implants.

__________________

—Medusa, with thanks to today’s contributors for their fine work as we move into the Easter season. Some of today’s work is based on our Seed of the Week, An Unexpected Guest.

 

 

 

—Public Domain Photo Courtesy of Joe Medusa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A reminder that
Sacramento Poetry Center
will be featuring Wang Ping
tonight, 7:30pm.
For info about this and other
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An Unexpected Guest!