by Lee Price
Remember when the storm came flashing?
Thunder cracking? Black sky on fire?
Sucking up bone-white
Blood-red, swirls of dust
into the raging squall.
Sometimes three times, sometimes twice a day
We draped Old Glory over some
dust-blown West Texas town....
Six men to a box.
In white-gloved splendor....
We brought back what we could.
(Funeral Detail 1969)
1924
by Juli Nunlist
Millicent Davis lived upstairs,
Millicent Davis lived upstairs,
Millicent Davis, pale of skin,
dark of hair, with eyes like buttons.
dark of hair, with eyes like buttons.
Millicent was a perfect child.
I know; my mother told me so,
and so did Millicent.
I know; my mother told me so,
and so did Millicent.
Her hair was always combed and curled,
her dresses neat. My skirts were torn,
I chopped my hair with pinking shears.
her dresses neat. My skirts were torn,
I chopped my hair with pinking shears.
One afternoon in every week
her mother came to tea with mine,
bringing Millicent, of course,
her mother came to tea with mine,
bringing Millicent, of course,
and Millicent's favorite china doll.
They came downstairs in their Sunday best,
Millicent's mother wearing a hat.
Millicent's mother wearing a hat.
The china doll was bibbed in white.
Millicent carried a handkerchief
and sipped her tea and was polite.
Millicent carried a handkerchief
and sipped her tea and was polite.
Millicent was the teacher's pet.
Millicent was good. She knew
the answer to every question asked.
Millicent was good. She knew
the answer to every question asked.
Everything that Millicent said
was gospel truth. I lied a lot,
and wished that Millicent was dead-
and knew that I would roast in hell.
was gospel truth. I lied a lot,
and wished that Millicent was dead-
and knew that I would roast in hell.
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