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Best Poems From
LAURENCE OVERMIRE
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273.
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Kitten
I see two eyes
peering out at me from the corner of the couch
and a little pink nose
nestled in the middle
of bewhiskered, white marshmallow cheeks.
Uh oh.
Whats this?
Two ears approach
(twice too large for that adorable face)
and gold and black eyes are wide
in mischievous anticipation.
Oh mortals, take heed,
such a slow methodical stalk
hath this monstrous, tigrous beastie.
See how he takes his position
on a twitching haunch
poised for the merciless kill.
Aha!
He springs
completely surprising my defenseless hand.
Little pink paw pads
are choking my index finger
but my defiant digit wrestles to the death!
Oh fearsome proposition
what horrible teeth you have grandma
those mighty molars strike terror to my heart
pray dont gum me to dea-Aaaaaaagggghhhhh! ! !
(Damn cat.)
(Previously published in The Short North Gazette, Nov.1998)
Laurence Overmire
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274.
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Lady In The Window
High up there
About halfway up the building
You can see her in the window
She sits there for hours
Searching the faces, the people in the street below
Wondering
Does anybody care?
Moving with purpose in their oblivious way
Making their appointments happily on time
Clocking the minutes of a prosperous day
Does anybody care?
In her sad eyes
She knows the secret
The terrible truth we hide in our lies
We are
All of us
Alone.
Does anybody care?
(Previously published in Ascent Magazine, Winter 2000)
Laurence Overmire
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275.
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Ladybug (haiku)
Ladybug linger
Good fortune bring the wand'rer
A flow'r blooms for you
Laurence Overmire
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276.
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Less Than Infinity (October 12,1999)
Six billion.
Doubled in less than forty years.
Can you count a billion?
Nine zeros times 6
Means what?
Hands, fingers, stomachs, mouths
Six (6,000,000,000) billion
Elbows
Bracing one against the other
For whatever reasons
The Earth becomes cement
The sky ripped apart
The tiger, the hawk, the elephant
Die
Bones in a graveyard
Overgrown with weeds
Distended open-mouthed babies cry
Needlessly
Choking on air
Too thick to breathe.
(Previously published in The Hinterland, Spring 2000, Issue 1. Note: On Oct.12,1999, the world's population reached 6 billion.)
Laurence Overmire
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