the harlequin chair

knit a row

purl a row

feel the ache

in your arms

as you finger

chipped glass

life is good

going somewhere

you assume

wondering

about endings

cover letters

resumes

india ink and paint

detective novels

chocolate milk

and wishing

for a face

the one

you know never

belongs to you

you want to live

in vibrant colours

shocking

incongruous

yet beautiful

like your

hand-painted

furniture

and the

illuminated

illustrations

in the book of kells

everyday life

flies and crawls by

pantaloon capers

across the stage

miming

but you

don’t know how

you can’t

help talking

though you

never know what

to say

may i have

this dance?

sadie hawkins

came and went

in a pink tuxedo

don’t burn

the coffee beans

watch out for

steam and

falling hot liquids

people look thinner

in high contrast

black and white

except mimes

in horizontal stripes

which never

flatter you

every room

should have red

i love you

sounds silly

in pig latin

but i ovelay

ouyay

sounds silly

in english, too

knit a row

purl a row

cast off