based on a true story

Thomas Fedro

a rain of frogs

like a rain of fire a rain of ash covering the earth

with gloom and memory

like a rain of frogs on the sands

of egypt like pharaoh's rage

like stitches in the seams of the trees

infected with sap

like the stink of war in your nostrils the stink

of finality

like the sound of the carrier bolt slapping the bullet

into the well-oiled chamber

like the oil on the beach at santa barbara like the corpse

of the oil-soaked pelican

like draining the earth of its oil

its blood

like death in the morning death at noon

and death at night

like death dancing with your father's bones

with your mother's ghost

like the day when you knew you were alone

and the world was empty while the wind blew hot

like the night without stars without the moon

without love without hope

like the street musician's monkey tied to a string

and begging with a little cup

like standing on the sweltering street corner 

waiting for the light to change and it doesn't 

not ever

like the morning that the sun did not rise

and your soul was empty just empty

like the morning the birds did not sing

and you died with no one to hold you

like the doctor calling out the time of your death

and turning off the machines

like the priest closing your eyes

and making the sign of the cross above you

like the sheet that they pulled up over your face

like a rain of fire a rain of frogs the death of the firstborn

anywhere the door lacks the blood of the lamb

james lee jobe

based on a true story

it was before we became human

we were dogs then

trying to become human

and not nice clean dogs with leashes and yards

we were dirty mutts that roamed the city

taking whatever we felt like taking

and leaving behind

whatever we felt like leaving behind

matted fur

maybe an ear missing

stinky

you wouldn't want to pet one of us

In fact you would probably cross the street

to avoid us

but we wanted to become human

it was something to try for

we rinsed off in the creek and shaved

standing upright on our hind legs

we wore clothes that we stole from clotheslines

and went looking for work

nothing fancy

gas stations

convenience stores

dishwasher

like that

eventually we had apartments and steady jobs

some of us married and had damn ugly children

time passes

you know the drill

the kids keep coming and the bills mount up

a mortgage

several college tuitions

you try to put a little aside for retirement

but it's hard

you're fifty and you become a manager

vacation with the wife at Lake Tahoe

just three or four days

then one morning you look in the mirror while shaving

and you see that you are no longer wild at all

in fact you're quite tame

what happened

when exactly did you lose who you once were

and you wonder how you became the human you are now

where did the time go

and what became of the dog that you used to be

when you were young

james lee jobe

Thomas Fedro

“It isn't enough for your heart to break because everybody's heart is broken now.”

-Allen Ginsberg

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