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"Post-Modern X-Box Carport Dinner Party"
by Tim Peeler

I

The pretense collapses
in the icy golden charade.

II

The yellow cat skitters
across the concrete carport.

III

His and hers memories
dial the plastic rotary.

IV

The serving table is laden
with the agreement of plenty.

V

Somewhere else there is
one who aches to join.

VI

Who invites fame
to say what we should know?

VII

The whitewater rush,
the red berry lips.

VIII

Every darling I could ask
to be my rib.

IX

The loaded dice
of explanations.

X

Light that strips confusion
to its bone guns.

XI

Light that hurries cleavage
past a mirror.

XII

The gothic mid-light waits
for cracker crumbs.

XIII

The movie made hovers
in the glum tartan death shade.

XIV

And all is sighs and
hemorrhages fantastic.

XV

Every apocalyptic urge
fiddled dry.

Tim Peeler's latest book is Outlaw Ballplayers (McFarland & Co.), co-authored with Hank Utley. Peeler has five others including Blood River: New and Collected Poems (2005) and a forthcoming one Fresh Horses from Rank Stranger Press. He works at a community college in western North Carolina.