Two poems by Joseph Farley

Heretic (2)

the rules change from day to day,
what can be said and what cannot.
be careful where you look
and what you see.
try not to write.
try no to think.
those who know better than you
those who know better than any
will save you from the trouble
of thought or action,
just lip sync to the tune
played by the organ grinder
and dance dance dance.

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Further Signs of The End Of The World

I had a dream that
Richard Nixon
appeared in a commercial
during the Superbowl,
He was dressed in
a gray sharkskin suit
and stood against
a digital white background.
He growled, “I'm back,
and I'm running
for president.”
He raised both arms
and gave his trademark
twin victory signs,
quite a feat considering
he had been dead so long.
The game resumed,
but during the next break
Nixon was back,
his face filling the screen.
“It's the end of the world!”
he said, and shook his head
so his cheeks and jowls
wobbled,
“It's the end of the world!”

Author bio:

Joseph Farley edited Axe Factory for 24 years. His books include Suckers, For The Birds, The True Color Of You, and Longing For The Mother Tongue.