my parents never liked air conditioning
only turned it on for company
not every summer day, maybe twice in August
if it was over five hundred degrees outside
both were Iowa farm kids
used to the heat and being sweaty
hard workers who cared little for luxury
did not hold stock in fancy fussy things
when filling out an application in the companies office area, I feel like a popsicle in the air conditioning
The breeze of AC, the murmur of conversation, a hearty bustle. A cocoon built of gifts, fused by will. Comfort, warm touches, the caress of the past. A place to worship. A place to build, to return you with gifts of your own.
I spurned your love and am sorry everyday.
The constant flow of AC, hushed tones. Frantic silence, pretending there is no Outside. Alone or not, it matters not; A cage with light filtering in. The faded memories of olive branches, of sad smiles. Stuffing oneself. Pretending you can't fit through the bars. Death cannot hold many together at once. They remember.
How does a cage differ from a protective cell
How can silence be comforting or frantic
Whose love was spurned
Why
You are awaited
The shabby hotel rooms were dank and dour
An indigent family blinked in the dark
Too dull to see much at this wake-up hour
The man of the family has such a bark.
A new baby! How marvelous! An unthinking person said.
But a new child in this family was just another to be fed
We don’t need another mouth, mama unkindly thought
The others seven children knew to do what they ought
In these rooms, seven children tried their best to please
They welcomed the tiniest bit of a summer breeze
No air conditioning for this family of ten.
Every day was a day of labor, once and again.
They did their share, and they kept the baby clean.
He was a sweet boy, but enthusiasm did pale.
They had not needed another; it might sound mean.
But this baby was an extra to feed and had such a wail!
just take off a layer
or walk around
topless
i am the archpriest
eating sugar puffs
i am the prelate
eating bagels
i am halfway
in
and halfway
out the window
the mother-in-law wants it off
i am not for sale
my successors are labouring
like hercules
the hidrosis is formulaic
like glib one-liners
"it's bad for the bones and
you'll catch a cold"
bring on the catarrh
the indisposition
the bogeys
the runny front bonnet
and collectivist honk
the towel over the bowl
of hot adam's ale
seduce my soul my doxy
my concubine
a night emission
i make love to the air conditioner
air conditioning
never summer or winter
nose on the window