migrant birds
feathers ruffled up by the
cold winds of war
news
For Now
paris, home of
the world’s tallest tragedy
at least for now
Candidate
beep beep beep
the candidate reverses
his stand
Election
election draws near
scratching and scurrying
get louder
Scotland
scotland votes —
the chapel’s wooden angel
plays the bagpipes
(inspired by news stories about Scotland’s historic vote for independence from the UK)
Sticky
world leaders meet —
thick and sticky issues
stain expensive shoes
(inspired by a news story about an ISIS crisis meeting among world leaders)
Click
airstrikes announced
click — the key turns in the lock
on pandora’s box
Cake
party in the park
the homeless keep one eye open
for discarded cake
(inspired by a news story about the homeless population in city park)
Desert
does the world hear
when trees fall in the desert
axed by militants
(inspired by a news story about the militant group ISIS beheading a second US journalist)
Nudes
hacked photos
movie stars in the nude
flashes in the pan
(inspired by a news story about hacked photos of celebrities)
Europe
the pot starts to boil —
in eastern europe
russia denies invasions
(inspired by a news story about russia’s invasion of ukraine)
Ebola
ebola virus
can the bleeding be contained
within africa
(inspired by a news story about the international state of alert about ebola)
Tornado
face down in a dry tub
her breath against the fiberglass
tornado blows above
(inspired by a news story about a woman who survived a tornado by laying in her tub)
Toilet
spring tornadoes
someone’s toilet in a tree
there’s no one to sue
(inspired by a news story about the cost of tornado repairs)
Foam
old white man
his mouth foams over
with prejudice
(inspired by a news story about LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling)
Well Versed in the News 