Wednesday, December 19, 2018

Synonyms for the sordid

Synonyms for the sordid

No rest for the wicked.
No naps for the naughty.
No vacations for villains.
No breaks for bad guys.
No respite for rapscallions.
No sabbaticals for sinners.
No dozing for the dastardly.
No siestas for scoundrels.
No peace for the pernicious.
No days off for the depraved.
No recess for the rotten.
No holidays for hustlers.
No furlough for the foul.
No leave for libertines.
No intermission for the infamous.

kj
7/2018

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Rhododendron

Rhododendron

Plant a rhododendron
beside my headstone
when I die.

I hated rhododendron
as a kid.

I had to pick up the fallen blossoms from our yard.
They would cling to my gloves like
the sticky hands of orphans.

But rhododendron grows here
like I do.
And it will grow here
when I don't.

When time has worn away my name
there will still be rhododendron blossoms
sticking to your shoes
begging to come home with you.

-kj 12/12/18

Saturday, December 8, 2018

Bad For You, Too

Like cheap beer and cigarettes
I am
Hard to start
Tough to quit

-kj
2018

Shield

SHIELD

always and
never
making monuments of flesh

she - me - we - it

always cautious
and predictable

protected by long-dead
dinosaurs
too weak to hold us together
but strong enough to keep us apart

kj
11/16/18

Three things


She was young, awkward,
and beautiful.
At least we had
one thing
in common.

-kj
12/8/2018