More Vers Libre Odes to America's Funniest Home Video Gags

The Yellow Lab of Courage

In the bathroom upon the dog unleashed
is small Godzilla, fly eyes glowing
and fixed upon the dog,
the good boy, who sees the roar and
tiny force coming toward and inside the small space
Inexorable, inexorable
Goes Goes Godzilla

The Owner has betrayed him
set this creature in mysterious punishment
It is strange and unknown and smells like electricity and
Toy's R Us and there is no bark
only reversal
and fear
a mighty puny rage in vengence of
dishonored nature
Forward, forward it comes
Unstoppable

Safety is a vinyl curtain,
a solid steel bathtub,
and forebearance

Icarus in Wisconsin

The world a sea of snow and the road a ribon of ice
ahead. A snow ramp-challenge. How high?

The distance shrinks too fast.
This snowmobile, I rise I rise
I've made it fly, it shall

too high too fast it shall it is
Below passes the stop sign on Maple road.

And flying, suspended far in the heavens,
I am Icarus in Wisconsin
I scrape the untidy wisps
From altocumulous
The air is a river that bears the Moses-basket
of
all my hopes, which are only this moment's hopes

I can smell the Aveda hair-gel of Angels

And all weight ebbs and flows
And I watch my hands grasp at air instead of handlebars
And the snowmobile falls ahead, whirring in disconnection
And the snow is now the sky
And the snow is now my mattress.
All is white. I rest, boots to universe.