Virgil

2 poems by Virgil Cross

i slip into my jive
while youre asking opinions
and i straddle an old saddle
looking at the wall
pretending you're someone else
i'm not interested
but you remind me of home
like some old horse
wishing he still had a canter
and the hula hoop girls
they're all grown up
dying of cancer
asking about florida
and their options
suddenly i pull my head up
and away from the wall
and you're still tapping
saying something about
haircuts in china
and i curse you
and the horse you rode in on

________________________


from the secret depressions
of a man lacking tinnacles
i stared medusa in the eyes
and felt self concious
when i wasn't turned into stone

and the wolves in the yard
look at me through glass windows
saying things like
why don't you come out and play

we'll bite gently
in the folds
of your skin
that lack nerve endings
we'll bite gently
to prove we've really raised
a few of you

suddenly i noticed
i was missing that part of me
that goes and mingles with a pack
of empty bellied wolves who are hungry

then i turned to go
to walk to the door
that leads to my car port

the wolves in the yard
behind glass windows
got upset and turned on my
favorite pet rock
to sharpen their teeth

then they elevated their split level eyes
and lipped
we double dog dare ya