Way way back, kids were made
to shovel coal. Their nails

turned black; the whites
of their eyes shone through.

Their muscles grew.

GOT TO GET SOME DOUGH I THOUGHT

Next thing I knew I was mopping.
I could see my whole body
reflected in the floor. Some kind of inspector

came by saying good work. I said thanks
Jack. He turned and winked. I smiled
and some drool ran off me.

NO GOOD KICKS

When my shoes came I was pissed.
These shoes don’t fit I said

pissed. I looked at the tag and it said
they should fit. So I put them on:

they didn’t fit. I was pissed.

THEY BOTH OF THEM HOWLED

Two men were talking.
One of them was laughing.
The other one was grinning.
Each of him was planning.

Out of the sky came a dog that bit them.

JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS

Oh Jason, Jason

I am like Jason, am I

like Jason, oh I am

like Jason, like Jason

I am false, is Jason

like me, I am

like Jason, am I

Jason

SHOPKEEP

He was all out of Willie.
He ordered more but received Bob.
I was out of Willie he grumbled.
Quickly he ran out of Bob.
Now he asked for more of both but got Sondra.
Listen (his veins were bulging) I didn’t say Sondra
but almost instantly Sondra was gone.
Now he had a hell of a list.
Give me as much as possible Willie, Sondra, and Bob.
Now they asked for Rudolph.
Wouldn’t you please prefer Bob or Sondra?
But as though there was only one voice
it said Rudolph. He put in for Rudolph

a week later receiving Willie. Sirs
I have enough Willie. Hours later

he had no Willie.

Brian Kalkbrenner was born in Las Vegas.