making it worse in poet land

in poet land he worked
for the utility co..
cheerily reading meters,
flirting with poet spouses indiscriminately,
and putting little yellow and red
tags on the meters of bad poets.

each day he would forward
a list of recipients of yellow and red tags
to the poetry police – who each night
would go around and make the tiniest adjustment
in the inspiration valve at the bad poets houses.
a quarter turn here and a quarter turn there
was usually enough to change the balance
like an out-of-sorts spouse substituting
your normal tea or coffee,
convinced it doesn’t matter anyway.




making it worse here in poet land (reprise)

having decided to feel un/under-loved for awhile
the poet sharpened a few choice words
and threatened everyone who, he thought,
might possibly pay attention.

really now... have we got this right?
it’s a hostage taking situation
and the guy’s holding a few choice words?