Short Shanghaied Poems

Soaring sovereign, white-crowned bird,
Shanghaied silently without a word.
Strong feathers molted one-by-one.
Pinfeather plumed on bare skin.
Wet market ready.
3/19/2023...

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Are you the latest one I’ve left alone,
heart Shanghaied—no goodbye

Are you wondering why as questions loom,
the answers high and dry

Were you sure you’d be the only one,
to wade misfortune’s tide

As that fated current pulled me back
—to drift again untied

(Villanova Pennsylvania: March, 2020)...

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her heart was shanghaied
captured on a sunny beach
with waves lapping happily
in a nineteen sixty-seven day

Beach Boys were singing
From a portable transistor
wind carried happy laughter
he had flecks of gold in his eyes

They were in love
So she let him 
put lotion on her back
A brave move for these times...

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Quindean was mad at her silly loud-mouth sister, Quindine.
Quindine accidentally said they were eight when they were nine.
She hid her favorite clothes; threw away her saddle shoe.
What else would an angry, nine-year-old identical twin do?

Quindean was so blasted and utterly mad,
She booked Quindine on a slow boat to north Chad.
Her twin was instantly shanghaied and led away,
So it is Quindean’s fault she has no friend to play....

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