John Fowler - Tall Orders

TALL ORDERS

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A somber fellow says, "For fun;" and says,
"not love, but usage."
Tall order for regular people.
"Blight; brown poison nodules;
bleak time," Appearance says,
"make eager males enter soon and linger long."


Eagles gasp: "Along sharp night ridge,
granite angled mountain shoulder, moon shone,
made inspiration updraft spiral aloft."


To please, too anxious;
bitterly relieved, specter's spade prepares
a grave. Past, or previous,
a laughing man descends
borne down on eagle's wing
as sober tongues wag solemn songs. "For
fun," they sing, "for fun;
not for love, but usage."


From Grist On-Line #1, October, 1993. An original publication.
© copyright 1993 John Fowler
grist@phantom.com