Lament for Damsel
Together with the Apron whose house infiltrated, her meadow ravaged by tomatoes. Together with Miscreant whose torso damned and scrapped, Damsel joined the lament. The devoted lamb, to cement the Shepherd regarding his shepherding, to give him no respite from his mandating, alarmed him for the sake of her bleeding cleavage--belatedly she bleats. She reproached the Shepherd for the sake of his sanctuary--belatedly she bleats. She reproached him for the sake of his tomato-infested meadows--belatedly she bleats. She reproached him for the sake of his swaggering wreck--before him she bleats her belated lament.
Lament for Sideshow
O Sultana, your torso remains but your hedgerow is destroyed. O Sultana, your bed is creased but your pillow smolders. O my Sultana, like a woe-dodo it's the heave-ho. O Mother of alien minnows, like a scarecrow he swallows and struts. O Sultana, your rites are withheld, you are shadowed by the greeny trespasser dozens. How long will you submit weakly to the Tempest who retreats? How long will your peppered lament bellow this botchery?
from American Poetry Review, March-April 2008
