Five Revelations

(inspired by Dean Young's "Ten Inspirations")

1. You decide to take a walk.
You have no shoes, umbrella,
sunglasses, sidewalk, or
estimated time of arrival.
You sell your cockatoo back
to the pet store.

2. You want a tuna fish sandwich.
You do not have any bread,
mayonnaise, or tuna. No can opener,
no sharks. You drive to the store,
buy lobsters, and listen to them
scream as they fall into the blistering water.
You have no idea how to eat them.

3. You want to send your brother
a care package. You can’t remember
his favorite candy, magazines, or
songs. You can’t find any photographs
of the two of you together.
You drink a whole bottle of wine instead.

4. You decide to make a stuffed animal.
You have needles, thread,
cotton batting, button-eyes,
and a wildlife encyclopedia.
You begin making a blue whale,
to scale.

5. You decide to fall in love.
You have no boy or girl,
no witticisms or movie tickets.
Just a house full of corduroy whale.
You stare at strangers on the subway,
for a week, until you catch your own eye
in the window’s reflection.