Just worked on this one...hope you like it. Has some real punch, playing around with word sounds packing feeling. Always playing around with something, when it comes to words. Ha. -- C.A. <3
Church
I see you in the quick
lip licks, the thin-legged
stride that leans right,
hips tilting with sudden
sweeping. I see your face
in the good teeth tearing
through lettuce, the church
drunk fresh from detox;
he shudders and hovers,
kitchen-counter-style,
searching for a full plate.
I see you in the picnic
table bad man; he watches
the circling ladies, switches
open his blade, and carves
into knots, jerk-tugging
the tangled leashes, choking
his droopy-eyed hound dog,
and the mutt. I see you inside
the wedding photographer’s
erratic walk, the close-up
shot squint, and the nervous
groom’s shaky flute lip.
You must be behind the blue
wristwatch glass, keeping
time zones straight, scanning
the scene, like a park-side,
single father in coveralls –
one hand clutching the tiny,
fleshy fingers of his newly-
found son, the other hand
gripping a tart, green, half-
cracked lollipop.
C.A. MacConnell
