S. K. Kelen
Three Sonnet-like Creatures from A Happening in Hades
Soaring California
Anaheim's street dogs barked rock and
roll all night, a southern Californian party
succubus appeared in the bathroom mirror,
smiled, torched the en-suite, her flames
lit the motel room—fantasy-land firemen's flash flood
doused the fire, western-style. Flesh and spirit.
Ravening faux frippery kept proceedings slippery—
Doctor Sforzando woke from his prescription daze,
saw the future was robot and desert wind on a flat,
high-definition screen controlling people's lives.
Cold jetlag vision: hungry cars crawl the streets,
stalk haunted people hunting for their car keys.
Pay the succubus. Old Bacchus flies a Disney
rocket ride, belly laughs, his spirit thrives.
Floating World
Pompoususs wrote to say how better
Than anyone else’s his verse was,
Spent too many words about it, and ah
The world did not yet love him
Quite enough. So full of laziness and crazy
With the world's voices, endless leaves
Piling in the roof gutters, how to reply?
I determined not to write that letter,
Not one letter. The years flew.
Fearless sprinted across a field, mad
Muscles whispered, crows and magpies,
Sundry brown and mottled birds
Paid attention, oh why is everything blue
Today, not bright, the sky dark and sad
A day for never writing letters.
More Words: Uses for a Father
Swing pusher human monkey bars punching bag
stroller roller ball thrower toy finder magic trick
performer hide and seeker wrestler piggy back
bear/dog/monkey/elephant/cat/tiger/bird-pretender
trampoline story teller word teacher book reader
picture drawer food feeder drink dispenser librarian
taxi driver mess cleaner nappy changer bath maker
towel dryer sleep rocker garden guide song singer
fast bowler TV remote controller kite flier acrobat
safety net fierce warrior guard horsey ride—now
more words appear in my head pop out my mouth
make me laugh—bird bath apple pie big brother go
pick me up fight time cricket bat whack kick
box new fun. Time to play football. We run.
S. K. Kelen is an Australian poet who has been writing longer than he cares to remember. He lives in a city where the reserves and parklands are inhabited by kangaroos, wallaroos, echidnas and many kinds of beautiful parrots and other wonderful animals. His most recent books are
A Happening in Hades (Waratah, NSW: Puncher & Wattmann 2020), and
Love’s Philosophy (Summer Hill, NSW: Gazebo Books 2020)
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