Tell Tale

i.
D’Anthra

soccer she plays
muscles to display
thighs, tree trunks

trunk with things to wear
shoved beneath the lowest shelf
in our mother's closet

Mothballs, white marbles
rolled about,
off this outfit or that outfit
when she lifted it

lift her foot, kick a ball far

off the field in dress
as short as shorts
for sports

ii.
right up by death
where I go for delights
literary and otherwise

for delicacies of great variety
death like bad dog

unafraid to go ever so near
flowers to pick

at times
precious things to pick up
must move one paw or another
of death

to get at joy and so much else
death's next door neighbors

iii.
Debbie

turning and being near
turning and being there

kissed on both cheeks
connected like a door
on its hinges

closing and opening
move but stay put

in this way connected
connecting

a moment together
then apart

two bosom buddies

wonder what fun
her husband has

much more than
two kisses to enjoy

make the most
of what I am offered
of what I'm allowed

two kisses
to look forward to
to look back at

we know so well, too well

two kisses in two seconds
we make longer, we make last

as long as hello,
as long as goodbye

iv.
Christian

1.
after noon
or after dark

afternoon Sir,
afternoon Mam

places to go after noon
no where to go after dark

not at my age anyway

will have to wait until
after I graduate

after school, after I leave
places to go, things to do

mischief to make
out on a date, come home late

what could mommy or daddy say
after I pass my sixteenth birthday

2.
a snake is all neck or all tail
or all neck and all tail

until the next tale


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
Written between 2:50 p.m.
and 7:13 p.m., Wednesday,
March 10, 2010