byEric Gansworth
- So when I asked
Great Spirit to grant
that I may
not
criticize my neighbor until
I had walked a mile in
his mocca
Sins,
that sexless
rumble murmur reply "go
for it"
was all
I needed.All
So I slipped
into some Nun-
Bushes and wingtipped my way
on down to Youngstown
(where real estate value never
sleeps by the shores of old Niagara,
and the school jurisdistrict is safely
out of rage
of range
of reservation borders
and bullets)And landed, somewhat disheveled
in the living room of a
SUMPTUOUS 3 STOREY RIVERFRONT TUDOR
5 BEDRM. 2 1/2 BATH, WHIRLPOOL
MUST BE SEEN
startled family of four
mystified, sat crosslegged in front of the
REAL HEARTHSTONE FULLY FUNCTIONAL FIREPLACE
immolating marshmallows barely hanging on,
dangling from stainless steel shish-kabob skewers.
And I said
"Hey! I like this."
"I really like this."
"Pass me one of them marshmallows." They did
I squished it through my teeth
savoring the decadence.This was the good life.
I made them stay
in the kitchen,
at first,
and then bedroom, laundry room,
utility closet,
garage, storage shed, back yard
"Damn it! Your're spoiling my view!"but I grew
tired,
just grew
tired of all
All
this movingSo I said to hell with it,
and shot them all
All
waking Youngstownites
never heard gunshots in
Youngstown before
(none of them being over seventy-five
years old).And I finished off the night
by the fire
on the shore of old Niagara,
loosening, but
keeping on
the sudden comfort
of my neighbor's
wingtips.