conspiracy won
© 1996 Devon Koren

stuart returned - she knew the stitches had come undone
on one of those rather blustery days
meek rodent lips bleeding from mousetrap kisses
staining my fingertips octopus black
we stand in these copper and bronze celtic spirals
of art and serpents and other christian myths
those cuckoos trapped inside my ribcage flutter
demanding escape and suffrage
(they want to trap another tom in that white bird house)
and politics with lilacs and treacherous christmas mistletoe
elude my
fingerpainting with sugar sprinkles from a namebrand cereal box
marshmallow disappearing act
sit down
the show is about to begin
these scattered tophats and tousled rabbits
the true magician laughs and takes another hit -
it's only popcorn after all -
and he can melt reality butter and margarine
regardless of mirrors or numbers or salt
those elusive symbols
if i close my eyes and blink and wish once more
i might become a moth
i've never made a beautiful monarch
anarchy has always been my forte
one last petition for peace
mellow stars drenched in blue chalk
sew together my flesh with sixpence maps
and dime-store guides
smile
i'll take your hands and one last time
i'll scream behind the white wall curtains
those evil men behind the curtain may stitch my very lips together
but they can never shut me up.