poems: sayings

raining cats and dogs

Cats and dogs;
mice and frogs.
The sky looks like God opened up a God-sized box of animal crackers,
and dumped it on our city.
Windshields break
as blood splatters across cars.
The day it hailed ice the size of basketballs
will never again sound so absurd.
Dogs howl all through the night.
The pounding on the rooftops is immense
and keeps us up all night.

cute as a bug's ear

When Suzy was little,
she collected bugs.
A little entomologist in training.
Only, she wouldn't just display the bugs
like a normal kid might.
She liked to play dress up with them.
Suzy was a very meticulous girl,
and making the outfits for the various bugs,
kept her busy
and intent
in her room.
She would design flowing dresses and tuxes.
Casual wear and swimsuits.

thin as a rail

"That guys has to either have AIDS or be on heroin,"
Mike screams into my ear.
Only it does not sound like a scream.
It sounds hushed
because the guy in question is on stage,
also screaming,
but into a mic,
which amplifies his views,
and quiets everyone else's.
If I was my dad,
I would say he was
"as thin as a rail."
But I am my dad's son.
So I just sort of chuckle
and reply
"That guy IS fucking skinny."