Mineola, Sarasota

The fraudulent spinster retired from a life of perpetual lies

Nonchalant concerns over whom he burned

Futile attempts at sympathy in vain on judgment day

God forgive, —

Beauty eternally graced the face of the reincarnate messiah 

Walking down the boulevard near the Pavillion where you last left

The lashings of perpetuity lingered on my lips;

a taste of insolence

Was it you who resided still past Bellmore off of Sunrise

Etchings on your bedpost materialized eternally

Waited for the bombs to drop, you held your breath

Shipped you back to your parents cul-de-sac half the man

Did you ever find your way back home?

Silent march from the car to the esplanade 

As the soldiers of war congregated

Pale faced excuses from the masqueraded savior

Spent our last coins betting cards from the parlor outside of San Luis Obispo

Tree on the car roof, did we get any younger?

Did the kids get any older?

Muddled grasp on the cross, did Jesus come any closer?

Playing “what would you do?” to pass the time

Mystery evaded all the homegrown poets of latter years

Walked into the marsh, cement tied to our ankles

Lullabies from our fourth eulogy

Liner footnotes on the human condition

- the once exemplary great American poets