013122

You hit the nail on the head,
She’s hot enough to melt asphalt,
But don’t touch that dial.
Don’t you recognize her?
That’s P. Mantis,
Deadliest divorce lawyer in town;
Tread carefully,
Or she’ll eat you alive.

032021c

 

No matter how often he turned Gran's pot to face the sun, he soon felt her glare on his back. Finally, Jon reached for the shears.

011421d

 

I woke up hating you
is this how it feels
the first whisper of the end?

011021c

 

Cutting Into the Car

 

algae and pond weed

drape the body

inside, nothing but black bones

 

011020

 

Cutting into the car

algae and pond weed

drapes the body

inside, nothing but black bones

 

112920b

 

under a bright moon

crimson tracks

cross the silent yard

 

112620c

 

Judgement Day

seven billion zombies wake

brainless

 

080620

In retrospect, the smart fridge wasn't the best place to install his first wife's final recording.

060620c

The Problem With Ellen

We didn’t know Ellen was a droid

She seemed like any other 20-something

Professional, fit, a bit distant, whip-smart

Maybe we should have guessed

But we didn’t, not till she caught fire.

Sheila worked right across from Ellen

She screamed and jumped out of her chair

Never stopped screaming till it was all over

“Smoke was coming out of its ear,”

She whispered hoarsely, later, “Just pouring out.”

At first Ellen didn’t seem to notice,

Just

kept typing;

She suddenly lurched to her feet, arms waving;

Her lips writhed, but she made no sound,

She staggered to the wall, collapsed,

Hair burst into flames

“I’ve seen that happen to a computer,”

some guy said.

Ellen burned till the fire fighters came,

All our fire extinguishers had long-since expired;

I don’t know why I thought they were inspected every year.

The stink of plastic hung around for days.

That smell stayed with me; it spoiled

my sexual fantasies about her: ugh!

Of course,

Her being a robot made that kinda weird,

And it kept me from asking

Her replacement out; she was quite approachable

But I just didn’t know.

“What’s the problem?” Roger said,

“I’m sure they all have lady parts.”

“They’re not women!”

She went out with him,

But when I asked him about it,

He just shrugged.

I think we all know what that means

052020c

high-speed chase
their own lives still weren't
precious enough

031020b

I was reincarnated as a worm once. That wasn't pleasant. The early bird got me. But then I came back as a human being, if you can believe it. I didn't even know who I was, I had forgotten about the Great Wheel, so messed up I thought I was the apex of creation. Well, now I am back, and, change is cool, but I hope I don't ever have to go through that again!

012220b

casket phones
their spectral glows illumine
Skullbook posts

011820d

pink cheeks
shining in the sun
the scuttling crabs

12071 9 b

I hated being in the hospital in the springtime, because
I was missing the time of the year that had the best weather. This time of year, I am not missing much, as long as I get out before the holidays. I think I will.

the only work I can get done here is reading submissions to Dreams and Nightmares and to eye to the telescope. I am doing those things. I am still reading books, even more than I usually can. That is the best thing about being in the hospital. Aside from not dying, of course.

111919b

"Don't eat the daisies," the sign said,
Johnny did and dropped down dead,
when he'd safely been interred,
we thought that was the dernier word,
in the spring a daisy tree,
grew from the plot where John was laid,
I guess his juices have been made,
into this thing that all can see,
downwind of us its seeds will go,
and Johnny with them? I don't know.

111219c

As she leaned over the fire, a louse fell from Grace and into the burning pit.

092219

cemeteries full
of my makers' ancestors
we compost now

091919

Woke up in a strange place
My hands around someone's neck
It's face turning a beautiful cerulean
All of its eyes
Entwined with my own
But something was wrong
It was trying to speak
Then I realized
It was myself
And I could not say a word

091519b

Letting Go

Children shuffle through leaves:

Oak, poplar, maple.

Are the leaves happy to bring joy,

Or do they feel disrespected;

Consigned to the rope-swing landing pile,

At the end of its short shady path;

Do they feel shame at being brought so low,

Or gratitude when it gets cold,

And kids are playing in snow,

Outside the wood, where it lies thick.

Mulch around other plants,

They flutter weakly in the north wind,

Hoping to fly back to their twigs.

091119

it comes round again
a day on which thousands died
the pace of murder quickened
when Hiroshima fell
but we still kill the old-fashioned way
a dozen here, 50 there
even one at a time
if need be