Jennifer Karmin






mother may i

1.
reminder of incident
an island forming shape
no medical exam
no waiting period
serve with food or water

2.
token all perfect
regular again again
paid service
project continuously
by direct mail

3.
in body imaginary
flying upside down
purposefully
free information
take what you want

4.
trinket the future
tie a knot
new schedules in effect
progress steadily
i want to hold your hand

5.
what you got the past
marked territory
please move to the rear
a means of escape
i want to be your man










poet housing

apartment poet third floor
basement poet underground
box poet parameter
cabin poet exterior
cave poet organic
church poet stained glass
coach house poet bricks
convent poet faith
condo poet foreclosure
cottage poet cupboard
chalet poet snow
estate poet property
farm poet tractor
garage poet gasoline
house poet window
ivory tower poet escape
lodge poet retirement
mansion poet bones
monastery poet hermit
mosque poet construction
ranch poet livestock
resort poet vacation
spaceship poet zoom
synagogue poet service
temple poet tongue
tent poet forest
trailer poet mobile
white house poet protest
yacht poet cruise
yurt poet nomad


 






stem cells stuck in the past

you are a paper clip
the dog smells like a bassoon
wind could carry the house away
the orange cowbird forgot to deliver milk

you talk and talk and talk
the dog smells like singing flowers
rain is not sunshine
the purple spotted miniature worm whistles at night

you cannot see the beginning or ending
the dog smells like a somersault
heavy clouds confuse nappers
the yellow iguana fly sneezes in the morning

you go over niagara falls in a barrel
the dog smells like a poem
mist is a community shower
the blue shewolf gently masturbates







room sonnet

galaxie deluxe typewriter tiger yawning
robin the boy wonder with snow shoes
a red wagon floats in the sky someone paints the landscape
obama zen dot come
sunlight wood nails creak
the place where sea green and light blue make angles

goldilocks lays in every bed and writes
each window has a different view
touch the pages of all the books
heat rises

how many mad women live in attics
a collection of dead butterflies framed under glass
splinters would hurt
you enjoy your own body









did you start the war?

why are wagons red?
when is it ok to wear orange to a funeral?
what’s a better color for snow?
do you eat white asparagus?
how come pink and blue cotton candy tastes the same?
who decided that the american dollar is green?
where can i find your purple heart?