Passage

more

or less we’re bound

to roll down the river

to skate the ice flows

cracking up

our antics unimpressive

but enjoyable

nonetheless

not the less

for the scraped knees

and the bee stings

the hesitations if you will

and determinations

you must see

we must do

whether for or against

the to and fro

the sinister lip

and the rough-hewn jaw

the tears inexplicable

the monologue cliché

still

we must collude once more

our dizzying collisions

appropriate if dire

we must celebrate

we must chance despair

Classifieds

Well-polished nonstandard-sized gilt thumbtack
seeks similarly shiny furniture polish
for good times and conversation,
late-summer solstice rain dances need not apply.

Post-December sun warriors seek employment
with crisply laced herringbone corsets
for mutually beneficial hierarchal repartee
on a contractual basis.

Disavowed potentate desperate to move
reprobate Hottentots of erstwhile trysts
with dames of repute. No offer too low.
Delivery unavailable.

Three-hundred thousand boxed lunches
offered as silent protest to personages
of noisy redistribution. Each comes individually
decorated by chipboard wielding clip artists.

Noisy-headed Swiss-cheese maker
in search of like-minded waltz composer
for collaboration in construing an
effectively convincing dénouement.