154 Readings | 0 Ratings
The Prophet of Fried Chicken
In Joe’s Chicken Shack
a man is speaking of eternity
among the day-old Posts,
jars of hard-boiled eggs
and pigs’ feet, bottom-feeding fried fish,
old orange cakes, souring Twinkies, speaking
of heaven, yelping prayers to God, the Lord
having his way with the man’s tongue, saying
Jesus saves! Nourishment saves!
He raises his two drumsticks,
conducting the patron orchestra who are silent
aside from the chew, break of bird bones.
Now the Posts tremble in their cages,
lift their tired gray hands up, sing Jobs, sing News, sing
Features! Obituaries! Arts! Weekend! And the eggs sprout
stubby wings, hustle inside the jar as if drowning
in pickled broth, then push the little ones,
women and children, to the surface as the Twinkies grow
erect with grace, cream edging out of their marigold
mattresses. In Joe’s Chicken Shack, in Joe’s Chicken Shack,
a man speaks of eternity.
a man is speaking of eternity
among the day-old Posts,
jars of hard-boiled eggs
and pigs’ feet, bottom-feeding fried fish,
old orange cakes, souring Twinkies, speaking
of heaven, yelping prayers to God, the Lord
having his way with the man’s tongue, saying
Jesus saves! Nourishment saves!
He raises his two drumsticks,
conducting the patron orchestra who are silent
aside from the chew, break of bird bones.
Now the Posts tremble in their cages,
lift their tired gray hands up, sing Jobs, sing News, sing
Features! Obituaries! Arts! Weekend! And the eggs sprout
stubby wings, hustle inside the jar as if drowning
in pickled broth, then push the little ones,
women and children, to the surface as the Twinkies grow
erect with grace, cream edging out of their marigold
mattresses. In Joe’s Chicken Shack, in Joe’s Chicken Shack,
a man speaks of eternity.
Posted 12/21/11
Comments (0)
|
Would you like to leave a comment about this piece? Join Ink Node for a free account, or sign in if you are already a member.
|
|