czvasser Fried Chicken, Morning Coffee

Extreme Pose

I
pose extreme
today.

Taut beyond the bounds
of tolerance
and the horizon.

The human condition
pulls me such.

If I felt pain
I would cry.

Handstands & Other Feats by C. Z. Vasser

czvasser Fried Chicken

Now That The Lights Are Out

Now that the lights are out
warm and dark
the kids long gone
so is she
I’d rather sleep in the middle
between fetal
and spread eagle
not on my side
a back would be turned
there’s been enough of that.

Covered cold shoulders
pretended to be asleep
needed to work late
microwaved affection
pretended dinner.

Now that it’s all gone
I can hold closed eyes
hollar like church singing
find peace in what’s left.

I promise not to cut my feet.

czvasser Fried Chicken, Morning Coffee

Counterclockwise

Counterclockwise stir coffee
Tea not at all
The moon and stars disjoint
Life the reconstructed south

I bend oak shafts
Weave reeds
Wallow in willow leaves
Life is a thicket
I sigh a lot

Coffee just a cheap trick
Learned from randy goats
With no tea leaf portent

Come for tea at 4
I drink a bit at 5
With any luck
I’ll be three sheets by 6
And won’t remember her