blackbird online journal spring 2002 vol.1 no. 1

POETRY


ALLAN PETERSON

Of Course

there was the boy buried who had lost an arm
but when later exhumed
rumors spread the corpse had eaten its appendage
No one slept for centuries
each house hosting its own sorrowing angel
and as small change dropped
from a pocket lesser gods rose through the floor tiles
Guards were hired phones
were installed Aimee Semple Mcpherson the first
to preach over the wireless telephone
had one installed in her coffin
in the first long distance techno giveaway of faith
I could have told her
the best day is when a worm or pelican lets you see them
turning into dreams or the black
bellied plover stands by your blanket unafraid
Of course the line of cars
after the funeral were cormorants, a lucky sign 


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