Poem-A-Day 2010: Four, Five, Six

Here are days four through six in my goal to write a poem each day of 2010:

004-This monster

This monster has teeth,
so many teeth. Actually,
this is a monster with
lots of teeth. And four
eyes. Four legs. Six arms.
Spiky tail, forked tongue.
This monster has two
monster friends. An open
mouth and so many teeth.


005-& then it was cold

We didn't realize
until it settled over us
as if we were desks
waiting for dust.

Our air was conditioned
to hide us from the heat,
so we were caught
without our feather dusters.

Our days grew longer and
so did our stories; our hopes
that we would ever warm again
were swept beneath the rug

& then it was...


006-Surrounded

They found us where the river cuts mountains
in pieces before finding the ocean.

They asked us what we were doing alone,
but we were too busy to answer. We

cut birds out of branches to fly to our
allies. Their jaws clenched, our enemies asked

us why we wouldn't answer; they lit torches
and gathered around us like trees. They asked

us again and again and again, but
our mouths were granite. We cut more birds loose

before burning everything standing.

*****

I've been getting back into the whole work groove again. Took down the Christmas tree. Lost my voice (mostly). Started eating healthier (no Dorito's, no cupcakes, no pop--otherwise known as soda or cola, no ice cream) and drinking more water. Will be talking poetry at the Academy of American Poets discussion forum later today and throughout the month of January; send a question any time at www.poets.org/forum under the Guest Poet thread that includes my name (Robert Lee Brewer). Now, to do even more stuff.