George Manka


Abstinence Farm

The pantry’s canned bananas
rumble as Leila
whips-off her shock
orange apron
to run downstairs
for the ice-cream money. Jesus!
Gribbo’s chewed
her purse. Come here, you shit!
Teeth like a feather-duster! The hall
pollocked with his drippy
tail, miles
from the kitty litter.
                                     I’ve been abseiling
through the afternoon’s
cornucopia of cornflakes
and methadone.
                                     Let’s see, Patsy’s
cancelled, but Barney’s
brought the megastar
from the local
shawarma hut: Scheherazade
Papadopoulos. Have you heard
Story of The Toga?
Or the Library Man and I? It’s about this guy
named Vladimir, and this other guy
named Dewey. And a girl
debating the dosage
of Clearasil required
to transcend puberty?
                                                            Not exactly
Karma. Or the bay window. Or the bricks
stacked in the yard.


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