Exposures
She passed by a toy shop
And saw a little girl
Reflected in the window
With a smile that seemed drawn
Then a jewelry store where
A young woman looked back
Wearing a gold necklace
Wrapped tight around her throat
Next a small boutique
With a lifelike mannequin
In a black leather jacket
And a long linen shroud
And finally a salon
Mirroring a model
Whose lips were wide open
But whose eyes were shut tight
Bequest
My mother refused
To be buried by my father
And willed that her tombstone
Bore just her maiden name
So now there’s a space
That divides both their coffins
Reminding me of how
They slept in separate beds
But when I go visit
On birthdays and holidays
I can’t help but notice
The grave reserved for me
And if I may someday
Choose to be cremated
Let my ashes be scattered
Where lovebirds weave their nests
Phantasm
She first beheld him
In the back of a bus
As if it was a seat
Reserved solely for him
As the light in his eyes
Burned red like the sun
That seemed to be rising
And falling at once
And the closer she came
The farther he appeared
Like an Impressionist painting
That faded when approached
Until he became
Nothing more than a shadow
Slowly disappearing
Back into his night
