FARES, PLEASE    [Stefanie Bennett]

 

 

All journeys begin in the sleep-worn

Valley of naughts and crosses;

Double innuendoes – and

The price of a one-way ticket.

 

Odysseus, alter ego of the self

Ghosts in with ass and oxen

To warn, “Whatever you tell

Will be held against us”.

 

Surely! But, my armour was always

Loosely fitted; the beggar

Disguise overtly tight.

Have I confused you? That

 

Wasn’t my intention. Why – you could

Go back to

‘Next station’s yours’:

There at least I expound –,

 

‘Fares please!’

Mine is a life-pass.

 

 

 

THE ANGEL    [Stefanie Bennett]

 

 

Light the pipe

Of strife,

It will not

Harm you...

 

Peace, coiled

By a human-

Cloud

May lift

 

A million

Angry men

To “go”

- Tell it

 

Like a joke.

The “fear’s”[?]

... Natural.

 

 

 

SPOOF, IN PROGRESS   [Stefanie Bennett]

 

 

Quickly, Pablo! Invert the canvas... Upon us

Attests the ‘Book of the Dead’. *

Add crocus yellow

Spiked with garnet

To line her eyelash before

The flash of life fades.

Rouge, I tell you, won’t soften

The cheek. Instead

- Fashion the brow’s panorama

And dimple a linden reed

That pipes melodic.

 

Master of the cuneiform palette...

Let’s forfeit

The signature corner.

“Guernica”

And our Philadelphia

Vixen are

Companionable.

 

 

(*Muriel Rukeyser)