ghazal 3

4-2-01

the way that woman speaks is fantastic: smoothly spreading on self-
indulgence—like one who wears suede just to stroke it: a forced velvet voice

large snacking man won’t share the sidewalk; one has to walk a-
round large wiping-mouth-with-back-of-hand man won’t share the sidewalk

large yellow signs preach: STAY ALERT; WATCH FOR DUI DRIVERS; SLOW DOWN,
SAVE A LIFE; DO NOT TAILGATE in round black letters, enforcing long into the night.

<f I ever hear some guy you’re dating pulling up with that shi…that……“music” playing
in his car, I’ll tell you right now, I’ve got a shotgun and a shovel, that’s for damn sure

he smoothes his bedhair, crams clothes from last night in a bag and goes to church, where
she calls him to bring back her jeans that he mistook for his in the dim morning light.

doormen sit cross-armed and glare at patrons leaving the bar, prying eyes
into pockets and purses, prodding for pilsners, scanning for shot glasses.

the city of Johnstown has upped funding for new police arms and declared a full-fledged
war on violent crime because the city of Johnstown says it doesn’t like violence

she hates tea but sips it anyway because her springpollensensitive throat has needed
soothing and with an upcoming performance, singers can’t have sore throats.

ghazal 1

11-30-00

along the cracked sidewalk a crumpled leaf skitters dragging
crisp corners hopping over cracks brownish yellow somersaults

with a straw broom the barber brushes blonde split ends and damp
brunette curls away from chairs and into the corner by the dustpan

children fling their yellow ball across the asphalt playground
bouncing and rolling. swordfights with fallen tree limbs

on the bus fifteen year-old boys yank ponytails and study the blonde girls’
eyebrows scientifically questioning whether or not it is true about their curls

he rakes grass and leaves into windscattered piles in his yard for the last
time before the snow falls in windcurls to his sidewalk and driveway

a hunched old woman lugs her groceries three blocks against
the wind and leaves, dragonfly pin pinning flittering scarf in place

she squints against the sun while plucking golden dragonflies from spider
webs in the weather warped corners of the dock, board ends arching up