How Did It Feel

How did it feel
the breath that you held
for heartbeats,
four heartbeats,
a sway hollow knell.
Rattling ribs
till they finally fell
apart - tell me, how did it feel?

And how did it feel
to swallow your tail
for a circle of venom
and snake oil to sell?
I've a Christian's attention
to the devil's details -
so tell me, how did it feel?

Ending with a question for Kerry's prompt at Real Toads

Snake

If I must
   be on my belly
      eating dust
I'll be a snake.

Linked to Poetry Pantry at Poets United

Please Remain Calm

All witnesses agree that the monster
wears a red MAGA hat.

Beyond that, descriptions are vague;
lurking, lumbering, white . . .

tiny, tiny hands.

The creature growls and groans,
but its only intelligible word

is WALL - delivered in a rabble rouse howl.
The very sound is maddening.

To soothe and silence the beast,
gentlemen are advised to softly croon
Tom T Hall's 1973 hit "I Like Beer"

(it makes him a jolly good fellow)

and slowly back away.

Women, just stay where you are.
The monster has an unexplained fear of vaginas.





For Izy's Out of Standard at Real Toads

Salt

I'm remains of the girl
who when she heard the horses coming
scraped a gravel grave
in the middle of the road

and beneath the hounds
and hooves,
loud as lungs would let her

begged "Salt,
Sir and Steed -
a bit of salt!"

But Judgement reined mean.
His malice touch drew blood -
"Copper for a coffin,
salty for the tongue!"

And drowned to sleep forever
in the middle of the road
she rots lucid and pleads

for salt.

For Get Listed at Real Toads

The Owl

"Who?" demanded the outraged owl,
and I
whispered of you.

Feathers fell, autumn, from her breast -
till I instructed
that tears were best

for broken hearts /her talons sharp
as shards
of a fairy tale.

Apart from that day
I can't say
that I've seen you -

it's just as well.

For Midweek Motif ~ The Owl at Poets United