SOFT THINGS by Mary MacGowan Soft Things It comes to her on soft things. Boiled noodles. Fresh bread. Cinnabons and strudel.With each chew comes a shrillness – A440 – heard in her jaw bone [sopranino-crickets-porch- swing-squeaking-headache].Stillness is rare so she’s spared a constant high ||: a a a a :|| She’s safe in cars, at malls. She’s safe eating granola for its crunch. Potato chips. In this noisy world she forgets that A lives there in her mouth ‘til hunger strikes late night in a small and plain room. It screeches high A’s on frosted cake, her mouth opening and closing around the ache of taking in. By the Time We Couldn’t See the Mona Lisa The mime floats up on a helium balloon then he’s stuck in jail until he stops fighting and lies floor flat.A glowing Christmas tree stands on our frozen lake, lights plugged in at the house.It melts, the tree sinks I’m electrocuted my house burns down my children inheritscorched land. There are rules. Every time you call out Marco, you must blindly follow the Polos, and catch one to win.If you could just touch an arm, a leg or their hair, water streaming down.Our marriage was already over by the time we couldn’t see the Mona Lisa.Someone always blocked our view – resistance if we pushed forward, anger if we asked for help.Someone in the audience calls out A man with his hair on fire! The mime sloshes pretend buckets of water gasps for breath.We carry on skyless. An unmade open window, the futile brushing of love into untamed curls. You Are a Child, Now a.Mayhem. Friends running around a yard. When you tag one, they must freeze – a leg raised, mouth open, arms reaching out. You must continue tagging until all are frozen except for one, who will suddenly notice that everyone else is a statue. b.They’re cars, parked across a yard ready to step on the gas when you turn away yelling Green light! But you are to stop them so you must surprise them by turning suddenly back around yelling, Red light! Those you see in motion are sent back. You continue thus sending some back, allowing some to stay as they advance forward that way. c.You’re an adult. A spell upon two girls makes them mute. Only saying the word ginger will release them. You’ve been given the job of listening for silence. Reading the paper, you forget… How they stamp their feet at you, eager, snorting. d. Mayhem. Friends running all over a yard. When you tag one, they must freeze – a leg raised, mouth open, arms reaching out. You must continue tagging until all are frozen except for one, who will suddenly notice that everyone else is a statue. e. Your friends in a line, far away. You tell them what steps they may take – baby, giant, ballerina. They ask you Mother May I? You choose steps and how many but if they’re naughty you can send them back Ten umbrella steps! They do their best to obey but you are a strict Mother: No! Not good enough! Go back! In this way, some move forward, some do not, but all seek your favor.At the last, a favorite child will reach out and touch you. This is how you know your time is over. You run to stand on the line. You are a child, now, eager to touch a new Mother. Don’t Let GoIt’s a belt swing that loops down – the boy asks his grandma to swing him. She stands behind the boy, helps him up and onto the seat. He’s new to swinging, so she squeezes his hands which hold the swing chain and says, Don’t let go. Shesqueezes them again, each one, she makes it important. Up you go! she says, giving a grandma- gentle push on his little back. To and fro he goes, his red sneakers dangling. Keep holding on, she reminds him, you’re doing a good job. A Land With No S The Chinese write in complete planets.Characters. S-free. If I were Chinese with no S could I still lisp?Of course they make the sound. A whisper sliced open insistent from the throat. A snake.Tongue, teeth, lips: all untouched, an empty river rushing.English teachers give it for Satisfactory (S). It was 1954 when we dug holes to China. American children climbing out upside down waving (W). Chinese children watching horrified (H). As if it doesn’t break out hearts every time we say S and know it can’t be said. (untitled)In the 60s, motels had vibrating beds. We went nuts over them. 25¢ to go. We begged dad for quarters for the carnival-style mechanism behind the beds.Tink and one dropped in. We laid down hootin’ and hollering. There were always 2 beds, shaking and trembling at our command. |
