Diet of an aged person
The elderly eat canned meat and tinned fish, empty rooms, memories of their mothers and fathers, penny candy, vague feelings of regret, military rations bought at the surplus, 8-tracks, shag carpet, the dreams of kids, scratch off tickets, and a pack of smokes. Typically they will wash that down with tea and milk, tears and lamp oil.
About truth
The truth like water
takes the shape of its container
The truth is a decaying corpse
undisturbed on the cool forest floor
The truth is a burning fuse sizzling
on a Looney Tune acme bomb
The truth is sold by the pound
and wrapped in yesterday’s newspaper
The truth is based on a lie
parents told to make kids sleep
The truth weighs heavy
as the air at a funeral
The truth feels the first drink
and really shines after the third
The truth is the same colour
as your mother's remembered eyes
The truth is a greased pig
if you catch it win a prize
The truth like all good ideas
comes just before sleep.
The truth always blinks
right at the moment the camera snaps
Everyone swears their truth is the best
The Traps Don't Need Bait
a doomed rat stands at the door
body like a water balloon Decon bloated
he claws the walls and screams
the Dad throws the son back to safety outside
the Dad hurls his work boots at the offending rodent
Mickey dies with a splat
the Dad gets a shovel from the garage
the son can never remember anything else
from that day
Jonathan S Baker is the host of Evansville Indiana's Poetry Speaks, Indiana's longest running most prestigious poetry series, and they are The author of several books of poetry including co-authoring Centaur (Dark Heart Press, 2024).
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