Citizenry
That nestling got
a wisp of thread
wrapped
underneath its
hungry head
(we
blamed the mother
and the body
hung-ered there–
an anchor to
its nest
and medieval
warning to
the rest
of us–naked on
our city walls.
Object Lesson
As I was saying
besides honeysuckle
There was part
of a porn magazine
down there
Its pages stuck
together
from being out
In the damp.
If you tried to open
them the color came off.
Just white paper
speckled black
with mildew
Inside
So you had to be
content with
the cover.
When I look at it
now “content” is
a strong word.
Objects
In the poem
May appear larger
than they are.
You will be visited
by a blind piano
tuner and ever
after
Believe this is the way
the world works.
As I was saying
Honeysuckle climbed
the wall you jumped
to get down
In the ditch
On the empty
lot across
the street
From the Frenchman
with three daughters.
Their names all rhymed,
and each was more
awe-inducing
than the last
And each was just old
enough to get paid
to tuck me
In to bed.
I still can’t pass
a honeysuckle vine
without wanting
to pull the buds off
and stick them
In my mouth.
Lots of things stay
with you that aren’t
that important.
Author Bio: Anthony Barilla is a musician, writer, and performance artist based in Houston, Texas. He makes interdisciplinary works. He has written music for theaters around the U.S. and regularly creates compositions for national radio program This American Life. He writes songs for his band with Dutch singer Merel van Dijk, and is currently collaborating on a new musical with her and playwright Mickle Maher, to premier in Houston in the spring of 2018.
