Rat Trap
for C.C.

must cock my gun to fire
impossible to half-cock it
useless if I could

must cock it, must be ready
adversary appearing out of no where
out of thin air

must keep my gun cocked
to fire upon whoever comes around
comes along to take life or pen or gun

must keep a pen cocked, a rat trap set
with pork or cheese

poem must be as taut as this, as taut as that
a poem is my raccoon trap

useless to have it unless it’s set
able to fire, able to go off

able to snap if meddled with
if I am rubbed against


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
2:05 p.m. 18.01.10