A Thin Membrane
I knew she had a glass eye though she never spoke of it
Have you ever really touched your eye? I asked to confirm
as I raised my finger and with great force
pressed it into my own eye, only to learn that
the landscape outside my skull is a wilted field
pocked with small clucking birds
in search of tiny kernels of corn
none of them the least bit concerned
with the sky or its falling
For the New Parent
You will need hot water and towels
though what to do next is exactly unclear
Feed her noodles for dinner, cherries for dessert
Leave her there, on top of that tree
Make sure she doesn’t fall off, the breaking of limbs
is strictly forbidden. Harsh words and discord
are not suitable for children and are to be avoided
Don’t let her watch hours of grainy reruns
or carve her name in the front door
Make sure the windows are screened
although screens will be useless in the flood
Lock your closet and watch for thieves
they are known to steal a young child
and wear her mother’s shoes
to cover their tracks
