The Desperate Trail (1995)

THREE ROGUES

THREE ROGUES

 

 

THREE ROGUES

ARE HANGING ON MY WALL

LIKE PICTURES FROM THE POSTOFFICE

OF NE’ER DO WELLS

ONE IS MY SON

ONE IS MY GRANDSON

ONE IS ME

ONE IS WEATHERED

ONE IS JUST GROWING

ONE SHOWS THE PAST AND THE FUTURE

HANDSOME ROGUES

THE KIND THAT MAKES MOTHERS QUAIL

AND MAIDEN PALE

BLACK KNIGHTS ALL

THEIR MOTTO

NO CORN WILL BE LEFT UNPOPED 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

RED AND PINK

RED AND PINK

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

BEING A DEVOUT HYPOCHONDRIAC

(YOU HAVE TO BELIEVE IN SOMETHING)

CAM DOWN

WITH WHAT IS MELODIOUSLY CALLED

THE CRUD

 

I RECEIVED SHOTS IN MY BUTT

MY WIFE HAD TO STABILIZE THE NURSE AT ITS SIGHT

HAD TO BE TORN AWAY ACTUALLY

 

I RECEIVED WITCH’S CONCOCTIONS

OF PILLS AND SERUM

 

THEN I NOTICED

IN MY SPUTUM

SPOTS OF RED AND PINK

 

RED AND PINK

WHAT DO YOU THINK

 

I THOUGHT

IT’S THE END

THE DENOUEMENT

PAYUP TIME

 

AND ME

MY DEATH SCENE

NOT FULLY ORCHESTRATED

 

NO FINAL GESTURE

NO WORDS FOR ETERNITY

 

JUST THE WORDS

HE DIED OF THE EVIL

RED AND PINK

 

BUT THEN

MY SHERLOCK HOLMES MIND

WHICH MY CHILDREN TELL ME

IS

SUPERFLUOUS

I MEAN SUPERIOR

 

TOOK OVER

 

I NOTICED MY MEDICINES

WERE RED

 

REPRIEVE

REPRIEVE

I WAS AT DEATH’S DOOR

BUT CAME BACK

 

BUT I MUST ACT

ON MY LAST ACT

 

MOST UNSATISFACTORY

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

 



FORGET ME NOT

FORGET ME NOT

 

THE LEGEND GOES

THAT ADAM AND GOD

WERE SITTING AT A TABLE

NAMING EVERYTHING

GOD HAD MADE

THEY MADE SOME REVISIONS TO AN ORIGINAL LIST

 

SHARK AND MINNOW THEY REVERSED

ALSO STORK AND CANARY

GIRAFFE THEY HAD ORIGINALLY CALLED DREAMER

BECAUSE HIS HEAD WAS IN THE CLOUDS

 

TIME FOR A TASTY BEVERAGE

SAID ADAM

AGREED SAID GOD

PLEASED THAT ADAM WAS OVER HIS SNIT

HE HAD WANTED TO BE CALLED PERCIVAL

 

BUT GOD HAD SAID

EITHER ADAM

OR PRIMOGENITURE

YOU DECIDE

 

THEY SAT THERE FOR AWHILE

ENJOYING THE VIEW

WHEN A VOICE FROM UNDER THE TABLE

SAID

PLEASE SIRE

FORGET ME NOT

BECAUSE I AM SMALL

 

GOD LOOKED DOWN

SAW A LITTLE BLUE FLOWER AT HIS FEET

 

OF COURSE NOT

SAID GOD FLUSTERED

GODS ARE FLUSTERED

IF THEY FORGET SOMETHING

IT LOOKS BAD ON A GOD’S RESUME

OF COURSE NOT

 

ADAM MEANWHILE

WAS HOLDING HIS BREATH

HE WAS EXPECTING

MOUNTAINS TO BLOW UP

OCEANS TO SURGE

STARS TO FALL

 

HE HAD HEARD THE TALES THE ANGELS SAY

THEY ARE SUCH TALE CARRIERS

 

BUT NOTHING LIKE THAT HAPPENED

BENDING DOWN

HE SAID

YOU HAVE NAMED YOURSELF LITTLE ONE

 

YOU SHALL BE CALLED

FORGET ME NOT

 

A REMINDER

THAT ALL FAULTS ARE FORGIVEN

EVEN MINE

WHEN I MADE THE PLATYPUS

WHAT WAS I THINKING

 

FRANK A VOLLMER



WHIMSY

WHIMSY

 

I’VE HAD A WHIMSY ATTACK

TO WHICH I’M PRONE

 

IT GOES LIKE THIS

ALL THE FUSS AT EASTER

 

DOES IT SOMEHOW STRIKE JESUS

AS INSINCERE

 

HE’D BEEN SATURDAYS HERO

ON PALM SUNDAY

A CRIMINAL

WORTHY OF DEATH ON FRIDAY

 

NOW THE SAME CROWD WAS SINGING HOSANNAS

 

MAYBE HE WAS TRYING TO SKIP OUT OF THE GARDEN

BEFORE MARY CAUGHT HIM

 

LOOKING DOWN FROM THE PINNACLE OF THE CROSS

HE COULD SEE THE FUTURE

HE COULD SEE THE REASON FOR HIS DYING

WHICH PROMPTED

AN ANGUISH WHY

 

ON EASTER MORNING

HE WONDERED

WHEN WILL THEY COME FOR ME AGAIN

 

I AM NOT A HALLMARK CARD

TO BE SENT AT EASTER

THEN FORGOTTEN

LIKE BIBLES THAT GATHER DUST

 

MAY YOUR EASTER OUTLAST

THE ECHOES

OF THE ALLELUIAS

 

MAY YOUR CONDUCT

RESEMBLE THAT

OF ONE WHO HAS BEEN SAVED

 

AS FOR JESUS

I THINK HE WANTED

TO SEE HIS MOTHER

LET HER FUSS OVER HIM

 

THEN HANG OUT WITH HIS BOYS

 

FRANK A VOLLMER