Winter 2016 — THE POTOMAC



Three Poems

Valerie Fox

Signs and Adventures (1)

According to Peter, Kafka did not finish his writings,
and he should know.

Kafka did finish Amerika.
Now they call it The Man Who Disappeared.

He finished that one twice. My version has both endings.
I can't find myself in either one.

Someone—you—could put back in that part
he forgot to keep in, about the New Jersey Bridges.

There are no woods.
I'm always careful in the woods.

Seems Kafka had many adventures
and lots of them we know nothing about.


Signs and Adventures (2)

Didn't you hear?
The News of the World
has ceased to exist.

Locusts are passé.
Dystopia has lost its punch.
Drinking water is scarce.

Or was it,
locusts are scarce
and drinking water's gone passé ...

Or, pass me a bottle.
Or, this bottle has been taken away. For
the water cannot be removed from the wine.

There's a moment of stillness.
That ought to be good.
But—

Our war criminals have more time than ever
to devote to their folk art
and owl–headed memoirs.


Signs and Adventures (3)

The other night in the E.R. they were playing
pro–wrestling. Alberto Del Rio, wearing Armani,
charged the stage in his Mercedes, ramming
and punching the pontificating C.M. Punk
rumored father of twenty–odd kids, spin–offs
destined to compete for Punk's love
and industry shares, some day.

What I take away from how Alberto throws chairs and ladders
at people is that I need to reveal more about my back story
at least in my dealings with arch enemies
who usually end up, like Punk
to be fake working class.
I'd like to follow Punk and Alberto's struggle
but I do not have a TV.


 

  
Top | Home / Mailing List / Contact
All materials, text, images 2006 - 2012 The Potomac. All rights reserved.