the fog has lifted 
waist high now 
and 
a crow searching for the right branch 
flutters his wings 
and touches his beak 
to the bark at his feet, 
gently, as if 
to kiss the rain 
gathering there 
in the crevice 
of the wood. 
 

random house

Random House
here is my poem
and 5 bucks

please don't be offended 
but go and buy yourself 
something nice 
a blouse with ruffles down the front 
or something 

or a pack of smokes 
filter cigarettes 
regular cigarettes 
not the cheap ass kind 
made out of seeds and stems 
and bad poems 
take the 5 

you must understand 
it's all about money (or something) 
so take the money 
don't take offense 
buy a gallon of super unleaded 
gasoline 
drive around town 
run a red light and 
smash into Madonna's parked car 
with a cigarette in your mouth 
and beer on your breath 
and when the police ask you 
tell 
them a drunk driver 
killed my poem 

tell them 
you were in a town in Washington 
and hungry 
and had just gotten fired by 
a guy who said 
you got under his skin 
and watched a dog get killed 
that you had thought was a cool dog 
and felt responsible 
because you couldn't make him come back 
and you were talking to a friend and wanted to eat the food 
left on her plate 
because you were broke 
you couldn't because you were embarrassed 
and later she gave you head 
or was that before 
and came to you in the night with her sister 
in the next room 
and shushed you when you started to laugh and come 

oh, Random House 
here is your 5 dollars back 
shhhhh.