Carolina

Nonentity’s birthplace: a front yard sweeps

its dirt clean. Devil hopped up the oak tree,

devil-take-the-profit seized  

a jay in the twigs by the feet, wings buffeting

this child’s cheeks to rhyme. Leaf of gift

box tissue folded over her pocket comb. Hind

pocket kazoo. Won’t somebody please start

something other & oddball soon,  

narrow her down out of folly  

& trivia to destiny? But Whynot the tortie cat

flopped an irregular sunny patch,

wriggles & rolls & revives the blissy fits of ignorance.

Decades crunch as minor upcountry thunder. My nod

to Mastermind’s robot rabbit, said to dwell in his top

hat, who tips me a silk evening. Gloaming again & never

far from home. Listen you hoots: alas for me, for my love

with the gallant and grifter soul has tucked

into just the crevice he feared. Fear told  

& tells him the truth, so he trusts it. Listen

you hollers, whatever you had in mind for me.