Multi-Family Sidewalk Sale

 

by Jacob Russell

 

 

 

 

Woman with section of Sunday paper

                                            spread          sun shade

a single oak leaf on the curb

fair weather cumulus overhead

white lead & cobalt blue

a used tissue, stained

pigeon feathers

thousands of staples in a wooden pole

nails         a few tacks          bits of paper

lost messages             a Douglas pine

posing

as Sebastian

 

pink corsage        crushed

wooden tubs outside The Pope

snuffed

butts in kitty litter

 

a steel pail red (in light of day)

outside Los Caballitos

sand filled            23 to Chestnut Hill

grocery cart             chariot

of gods        bag ladies       dying

willow by the parking lot an apple core

desiccated

in the sun

 

Eclipse

 

clouds converge hum & rattle

air conditioners inharmonious

leaf wilt           paper clips affixed

women         paint nails

on their toes

PINK !

is popular today

 

a chef in white walks home

iron bars to keep out thieves

 

                                     d

 R      A      I      N

    o

        p

                              paSt number

torrent 

poured into a single word

 

the letter S looped around

two sentences above below

instruct reversal

 

life/death    sickness/health

forth & back      return

begin again

 

that woman with the Sunday paper

see only now in mind

in sun or shade

oak leaf on the curb

still there

 

fair weather cumulus

then

now

a deeper slant of light

theatrical effect of afternoon

tissue, stained

feathers scattered      gone

 

staples     once a tree

Cascades   on forest slopes

volcanic range  

shifting out of view

lost messages

 

a dying willow by the parking lot

 

eclipse

 

the letter S looped around

two sentences above below

 

life/death     sickness/health

iron bars/   to keep out thieves

 

Found Things

lost   and found again

are Not

 

FOR SALE

 

all things

possessed          are slaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jacob Russell lives and writes and walks the streets of South Philly with his SpiritStick.  He’s had work published in dcomP, Critiphoria 2, Conversational Magazine, Connotations, BlazeVox, Scythe, Battered Suitcase, Clockwise Cat, Apiary, Fox Chase Journal, Pedestal and Retort.