Art by Nessa Darcy

Quotidian                                                               
by David Kowalczyk

Fond of making cockroaches
into pets.

Rummages through dumpsters
for its dinner, and feeds its mind
with television.

Has a twin brother
named Obsequious.

Frequently found at
swap meets and palm readers.

Since age twelve, has been
covered in acne from head to toe.

Has huge, sorrowful ears.
More prone to listen to others
than to think for itself.

Will never suffer
from unrequited dreams.

 

 

 

 

Serendipity
by David Kowalczyk

Constantly fingering a rosary,
murmuring Hail Marys in Spanish,
this word has silver skin
and can make itself invisible.

Free and fickle as the dawn,
this word’s eyes are ripe mangoes
about to fall from the tree.
A star made of snow, it
becomes silk when spoken.

 

 

 

Gimcrack
by David Kowalczyk

This word is
the stolen face
of a circus clown.

This word was expelled
from Sid Vicious High School
in Rancho Cucamonga, California.
It grows extremely atrabilious
whenever confused with
its brother, Gewgaw.

This word has the sensibilities
of a dead opossum.
It bathes only during the full moon.
It has big red potatoes
growing in both its ears.

Whipped by the wind
and scorched by the sun,
it is afraid of miracles.

Prestidigitation
by David Kowalczyk

The epitome of this.
The antithesis of that.
Both mother and father
of the wind,
it is usually preceded
by silent laughter, and
has a great affinity for
morally bankrupt leprechauns.
Loves to play Hungarian
rhapsodies upon its violin.