Along for the Ride

" Along for the Ride "

by Suzán Jiván

Along for the ride
crouching and sitting
sliding and rolling
as guileless guidelines

like finely paced
stuttering eighth
notes heaving
waves of tones
promoting
the all-knowing
with halfway
crossed legs

like inane
nomenclatures
prone
to finite
variation
as hollered
nonsense
slotted into place
by a rumbling base...

Beyond the Objects

" Beyond the Objects "

by Suzán Jiván

Beyond the objects
despite their origins
waiting in bays
while losing their taste
in the depths of grain
with boldfaced names
on driveway gates
of preservation

running palms across pages
with phrases, " totally gone "
and, " drastically altered "
like professional haunts
reeking of guano
cast in bronze as a colossus
of incongruous agitprops
with taxes involved

whereupon a polyglot
of collective consciousness
stoppered atop a ketchup bottle
with fiberglass blobs
of ad hoc knowledge
and nonchalant generosity
near and far
in impromptu snapshots
ensconced en mass...

Pushing the Clip-Clopping

" Pushing the Clip-Clopping "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric

Pushing the clip-clopping
of electronically modern pop
with elaborately scratchy patches
as simplistic synths quiver
with didactical precision
unleashing ought a' bes...

A Tense Undercurrent

" A Tense Undercurrent "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

A tense undercurrent
minus a moral compass
like lurching pickups
lined with newly issued
ammunition for fact-finding trips

while skinny dipping
with machine gun precision
claiming victims with glimpses
of kin during gritty lynchings
up and down stream difficult to glean...

Heavy with Generational Weight

" Heavy with Generational Weight "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Heavy with generational weight
above the fireplace
diminished by time
and narrowing eyes

after seeing the light
and seeming not to mind
like doe-eyed prototypes

piled high by hijinks
tucked way inside
fading away
after opening a vein...

Analysts Pour Over

" Analysts Pour Over "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric

Analysts pour over
who is at fault
for the paltry

week after week
to nearly
everyone they meet

seemingly more upbeat
come to think
as treasuries are squeezed

not having paid anything
in the least
to a state of emergency

unlimited innings
are logged in
as no-hitters

like the unfathomably rich
with a painless history
as periods spin...

Sustain a Struggling

" Sustain a Struggling "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Jenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Sustain a struggling
partly by governments
in long runs
becoming outgunned
by the difficult to stomach
caustic questions
in presidential elections

a long way from a heyday
that will not update
well beyond expectations
taken off the table
as more playful
trials and tribulations
tried later...

Problems Riddle

" Problems Riddle "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Problems riddle
honing in
on deeply
embarrassing practices
cementing
a major shift politically
with crackling
rallies of activists
as chanted backlashes
championed
by drafted parents
without awareness
of puritanical pasts
still grinning for pictures
on black-and-white film
whittled down in one sitting...

Megadunes Looming

" Megadunes Looming "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Megadunes looming
increasingly unsuitable
for humans as proof
of huge granular pillows

pricked with drip systems
scoured by gritted winds
silted by diverted rivers
where fish used to swim...

Turning on Toe Point

" Turning on Toe Point "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Whether she's dressing down
after running around
a spiral course
with an oval core
without a choice
of chores
for dutiful bores
or impressionable
goofballs
as adoring audiences
sing, " It's a Small
World After All "
while turning on point...

Executing the Duty

" Executing the Duty "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Executing the duty he and his team
as radical forces in the fray
prevented from obtaining
and demanding a say
in divine mandates
on the main highway
when tensions come anyway
debated as far more complicated
than containment of profound change...

Gloved Puppetry Haiku

" Gloved Puppetry Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Vocal arrangements
mocking mob mentalities
strings sounding shrilly

Hefty layerings
short changing humanity
in an ornate frame

Considered suspect
the biggest in the country
like gloved puppetry

Treated royally
airborne choreography
in parentheses...

Even Deeper into the Dark

" Even Deeper into the Dark "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Even deeper
into the dark
as unparalleled
battles
in IMAX

skipping merrily past
popularity
with aggressive
sales tactics

happy to laugh
at disasters
in Indiana
embedded
as samples
in rap tracks

played
at campaign rallies
allowing for jet lag
for families
fleeing unhappy
marriages
at random...

Back Issues of National Geographic

" Back Issues of National Geographic "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Double maps like the fastest
land animal with attitude
as the only living barrier
pushing the boundaries
of oral tales in the homeland
when given the chance
of "what" to "where"
and "how" to get "here"
and "why" to go "there"

hidden in grasslands
by blocking the glare
rarely, if ever, before
recorded as semi-
retractile claws
see-sawing over
epic poems solely
attributed to Homer...

Forcing New Looks

" Forcing New Looks "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Forcing new looks
like rises in pill-
shifting illicitly
causing stirs
by shooting up

while really needing
treatment with tiny beads
of troubling penal
fracturing growing gaudy
staring in awe true to form

causing prices to spike
for inadequate diets
rallying behind
trying out

pinky fingers
as early warning signals
like teeth of either
goats or sheep
after becoming extinct...

Hemline Mindset

" Hemline Mindset "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Central to concepts of levelings
plowing through questions
with broad spectrums
now and again at the expense
of an inevitable hemline mindset...

Surrounded by Legos & 3-Year Olds

"Surrounded by Legos & 3-Year Olds "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...


Surrounded by Legos
and three-year olds
as the latest salvo
with attention focused
on the healthy
images of apples
in fairly large amounts
not turning brown
but branching out...

Calls in Groups

" Calls in Groups "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Calls in groups
at dawn and dusk
walking in canopies
concealed in tall trees
flimsy sticks

glossy green
rising in intensity
bright red
flight feathers
heavy yellow

throaty cackles
and coos
thick foliage
rather tame
not easily seen

middle and upper stories
extremely long
seen only in flashes
bare eye rings
host species
heavy barring

more bronzed
through Uganda
described as, "barks"
in Nairobi
two toes forward
two toes back
foster parents

repetitious
"dee-dee-dee
deedereek"
chiefly in nests
of weavers
in equatorial regions

both in trees
and on the ground
hairy and hairless
even bad-
tasting prey
sometimes
eats the eggs

long rank grass
disjunct ares
heavily flapping
tiring easily
rainy periods
barred rump
and vent
gurgling
clumsily

flying noiselessly
typically worldwide
incredible night
daytime sites
sprinkled with white
riverine, tree cavities

fast bubbling stutter
groups of a dozen
fluffy ear tufts
conspicuous eyelids
semi-deserts
ascending, "tee"
whir of wings...

Wearing Suits of Lettuce Green

" Wearing Suits of Lettuce Green "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

Much less appreciated
not just pastiche
or painstaking
recreations
in search of sensation

disbelieving
the reasons
like freethinkers
wearing suits
of lettuce green

while lampooning
the king and queen
by letting in
dramatic beams

reflected in mirrors
involving overbeaten
whipped cream
mixed in
with ketchup
and pickles...

Be Amused, Tolerant and Pretty

" Be Amused, Tolerant and Pretty "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Be amused, tolerant and pretty
while striving for hilarity
cleverly animated
with vulgarity in miniature

recently inspired
by a kibitzer and a kvetch
in a geodesic nest
filled with nebbishes
from the Netherlands
being ground on pedestals...

Turn Out to Date Back

" Turn Out to Date Back "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Turn out to date back
on the other hand
in the heads of ants
spanning ancient grasslands

barely visible
as complete organisms
with suckerfish
swarming across its skin
with ship strikes on the rise

as sound waves penetrate
the density of prey
known to migrate
thick with krill

hoping to visit
from start to finish
along the perimeter
no longer visible...

A Tacked-On Addition

" A Tacked-On Addition "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

A tacked-on addition
ever shifting
into knotty partnerships
with subtle lighting
while embracing
virtues of restraint
avoiding churning clichés
marvelously sophisticated
and waiting to be savored

utterly gripping
members booing
an all-too-foreseeable
rubble-strewn future
occluded by costumes
with gratuitous splatter
mixed with the ashes
of an inquisitive squatter
scrambling across family lines
through blood-stained splayed hands...

Floor-to-Ceiling Haiku

" Floor-to-Ceiling Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Assimilated
a willingness to flatter
avant-garde upstarts

II

Gazing into space
sparkling clutters of glassware
expansive mantels

III

Rendered indistinct
given a spectral feeling
eerily gloomy

IV

Home in the darkness
like cherry-picked libraries
from floor to ceiling

V

Eager assistants
in ramshackle additions
throwing, firing

VI

Copper dinner gongs
pockets of undisturbed art
crowded with columns...

Alluring Discovery

" Alluring Discovery "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Alluring discovery
scanned score
upon scores
scrawled
on chalkboards
as all-important
platform checkpoints

in patterns
everywhere
when squares
are in fact cubes
as a sort of ruse
wandering through
single rooms in a two-
dimensional universe

in degrees before
the not-at-all
with helping hands
for the transcendentally petty
unerringly suggesting
back-to-back guitar medleys
sounding sturdier
and even more majestic
forevermore...

Frog Family Haiku

" Frog Family Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Crevices and caves
chirp, nocturnal, flattened shapes
catfish-like whiskers

II

Slips into cliff cracks
smooth skin, prominent front feet
truncated toe pads

III

Absent vocal sacs
loud, rattling croaks, darker masks
positioned head down

IV

Evade predators
hide under rocks and litter
chirp like a cricket

V

Submerged logs and rocks
attach to vegetation
thousands of eggs laid

VI

Starlike projections
clasping females around the waist
Big Bend area...

Tenacious Ingenuity

" Tenacious Ingenuity "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Tenacious ingenuity
widely credited
as pretentious
geeky pleasures
in creepy series
feverishly overacted
with rotting gentility
scurrilously scribbling
with grisly insistence
worked into a lather
as incoherent characters
cast into preposterously motley genres...

As Captured in Captions

" As Captured in Captions "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Sucked the attention
of every pundit
in humongous numbers
as pop-up cultures
taking deep breaths
during post credits

inconsolably overblown egos
as captured in captions
below overexposed photos
circulating globally
in the moment

like tears and tulle
chiefly in costumes
past and future, off and on
as if stunned by an understudy...

Insect Collecting Haiku

" Insect Collecting Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Collecting insects
butterfly nets, pitfall traps
microhabitats

II

Tropical regions
leaf-inhabiting species
sieving leaf litter

III

Luring, baiting bugs
rotting fruit, animal dung
using a pooter

IV

Making compost heaps
decaying vegetable waste
rotting logs near ponds

V

Simply sit and watch
a spider spinning its silk
infinite wisdom...

Katydid Haiku

" Katydid Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

A file and scraper
whose song sounds like, " Katy did "
repeated namesakes...

Darters Haiku

" Darters Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván

I

Unpredictable
"skimmers", also called, "darters"
erratic patterns

II

Often quite hairy
slow-moving streams, ponds and bogs
prey on the bottom...

Jumping Mouse Haiku

" Jumping Mouse Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric

I

Meadow jumping mouse
nests beneath boards, hollow logs
constantly jumping

II

Curls in a tight ball
nose in its belly, sleeping
tail coiling around...

Turtle Haiku

" Turtle Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Permanent bodies
varying degrees in spring
separated days

II

A protective shell
incubated by the sun
nest and hatch the young

III

Humus or sawdust
a crevice in a steep bank
deep water cover

IV

Spots fading with age
bluish black carapaces
nearly escaping

V

Become inactive
bask on mats of tufted grass
soak up streaming rays

VI

Hibernation dig
murky bottom shallow flat
meandering...creek

Black Bear Haiku

" Black Bear Haiku "

by Suzán Jivàn, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Groups of bears, females
playful cubs, romping, wrestling
mature males mating

II

In their mother's range
climbing trunks, wooded country
young shuffling summers

III

Crawling towards the warmth
territorial huge paws
largest carnivore

IV

Claws hook, front legs hug
greater potential dangers
grunt, huff and mumble...

Musky Haiku

" Musky Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Linked more distantly
to the semi-aquatic
still or slow-moving

II

Small ears, inset eyes
hind feet stroke alternately
stout body, blunt head

III

Gnaw underwater
soft underfur, overlain
third of body weight

IV

Arrowhead, smartweed
intraspecific fighting
feeding breeding space

V

Into the dwelling
resulting living chamber
ventilated den

VI

Pungent-smelling musk
bearing another litter
helping raising young...

Horizontally with Charcoal

" Horizontally with Charcoal "

by Suzán Jiván

Culmination of exploration
horizontally with charcoal
shaped like a box
with a black coat on
on view in Hong Kong
as the most popular

Better known under an alias
floating to the top of the list
with mobile technology
held in both hands
like legs without a head
as an experiment
put on a pedestal...

Torn Between the Two Haiku

" Torn Between the Two Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Torn between the two
synthesizer, drum machine
the national rage

II

Having been mounted
above distorted guitars
facing off with spoils

III

Every flavor
offering a smorgasbord
in a stadium

IV

Punk-rock headbangers
unapologetic raves
as dub-stepping fans

V

Passing up straight up
with a big name like ether
dwindling consciousness...

Rumored Haiku

" Rumored Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

When rumors started
all of the morbid beauties
became bewildered

II

Unwillingly chic
a scion of family
hands that skim the air

III

Lovingly adorned
populated by monsters
playful macabre

IV

Hackneyed renditions
with gold-digging qualities
glittering little

V

Synchronized swimming
legendary medaling
both living and dead...

Black-chinned Haiku

" Black-chinned Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
and Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

I

Rather secretive
submoustachial striping
held well into fall

II

Finely streaked in all
rusty above, bill bright pink
over rocky slopes

III

Triangular black
moves into burn areas
rapid and high pitched

IV

Conspicuous perch
rarely reaching southeastern
likely overlooked

V

Mexican species
usually seen singing
rising and falling

VI

Jumbling series
vicinities of bishops
much darker tails cocked...

Manatee Haiku

" Manatee Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric

I

Gregarious rasp
grasping green aquatic plants
forked tails scattered hairs

II

Madagascar tides
pinkish whitish undersides
very tiny eyes

III

Blimp-like Manatees
Red Sea south to Mozambique
high-pitched chirping squeaks

IV

Downward-bending snout
overhanging narrow mouth
upriver shallows

V

SuccumbIng hunted
stubby bristles on muzzles
dwindling numbers...

Reflected in the Headings Haiku

" Reflected in the Headings "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric

I

Thumb-tab silhouettes
reflected in the headings
identities set

II

In the next section
when the senses are alike
unless otherwise

III

Pictured male-female
in abbreviation caps
color plates numbered

IV

Following pages
turning in unnamed sequence
bare-faced go-away...

Species Haiku

" Species Haiku "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

As species of green
spending half our time in trees
beneath canopies...

Some Months After

" Some Months After "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

Some months after
a convivial hour and a half
of chatting in dark glasses
after parenting with a vague
sense of betrayal
as relationships fray
in bad taste for babies
of formerly chaste
travel agents
seeking tech-savvy
destinations
at less than
the standard rate
these days
on an executive's pay
with little or nothing to say
literally anchored
as the sun breaks
loosely based
on all sorts of strange
emanations
from freckled faces
orchestrated
as UV rays
like the latest
permutations
of stationery
noisemakers
situated
in order
to dissipate
syndications
on and off stage
as thoughtful
commentary
for moving targets
as have nots
rambling across
unmarked car parks
amid rampant brambles
over vast expanses
with travel bans
for unimpressive fashions
taking advantage
of embarrassing
undervalued talents
slamming footprints
in a sprint in order
to keep thin...

And Other Ephemera

" And Other Ephemera "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

And other ephemera
as some of the cleverest
known draftsmen
at the academy
with flashes
of vivacity
in pen-and-ink
slavishly copying
biblical scenes
replete with second-
hand knowledge
wobbly with pomp
by proxy
in sympathy
for somewhat
less stuffy
nude studies
like lifeblood
from unwieldy scythes
with vertical tines...

Aboard the Ship as It Sinks

" Aboard the Ship as It Sinks "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle & Eric...

Aboard the ship
as it sinks
under previous
agreements
meant to be
discoveries
of absurdities
like a shining pastiche
from a previous era
suddenly becoming
lovestruck
by firing a gun
as an introduction
to gushing subcultures
like teenage crushes
notoriously abrupt
crumbling under
after taking the plunge
in public...

Given In Bid to Buy

" Given In Bid to Buy "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Given in bid to buy
while testifying
via satellite
over hacking
with a coterie
almost whole-
heartedly
by promising
dollars
as no problem
in mind-boggled
markets
of popular topics
like earthquakes
and colossal squid
on Netflix
along with
a lovelorn
monumental
score...

Flammulated Owl

" Flammulated Owl "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

I

Flammulated owl
variegated red and grey
within the range of The Great Basin

II

Best located
as hoarse hollow hoots
loosely roosting in communal seclusion

III

Chiefly diurnal
spotted watching
for finely marked mobbing songbirds...

Hiccup White Fur

" Hiccup White Fur "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

I

Hiccup white fur
murky origins
sharp-witted
chilly receptions
in face offs
over austerity
like dilemmas
against
an inherently
tactical
background
on gravel

II

Looking
for now
as a first
round
of rattled
combatants
no matter how
completely drowned out
by military clout
over browner crowds
of the regally crowned
knuckling down...

In the Life of a Typical

" In the Life of a Typical "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

In the life of a typical
enigmatic title figure
apocryphally
tacking the challenge
of hosanna
for the asking
earned as shares
of rare majesty
like universality
too reckless
as a Gospel concept
emitting jealousy
and obsession
born deaf
as a cast member
of recollection
plaguing the amoral
with gale forces
underscoring
appallingly
clawing
one-foot-
in-front-
of-the-other...

A Flimsy Movie

" A Flimsy Movie "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
and Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

I

A flimsy movie
means spiritually
suspense free
including three
sweethearts
without chemistry

II

Minimally funky
and self-adjusted
after messing up
in mixed company
as a mash-up
of the barely functional

III

Rumpled up
and struggling as such
by bonding with the young
becoming taut in the ring
with real poignancy
when fraught
with the torment
of horrific porn...

Laying Bare

" Laying Bare "

by Suzán Jiván, Mom
and Mom-Mom Suzán

for Rebecca, Russ
Kenny, Jimmy
Mark, Danielle
& Eric...

I

Laying bare
portrayals
of parents
down
to the last
detail
drawing
on audiences
held
as performers
coasting along
in avoidance
candidly
and to the point

II

Granting divorces
with the torpid talk
and unenforceable torque
of lackadaisical legalities
contrasted by masses
of masticated marriages
gnashed back-to-back...