client Bob
a Nam vet
a junkie
is calling the office
begging for a house call:
it’s a matter of life and death.
a broken mirror in the hallway
syringes all about
burned out floors and ceilings
consequences of an imaginary napalm blast
the walls bear a knife collection
in the yard a patch of dirt, a hole and a shovel.
in a cardboard box, on a pillow, draped in an American flag
is Tom the ring snake who
kicked the bucket.
tame, reconciled god’s creature…
the stereo blasts the Star Spangled Banner
Bob is firing off his gun in the air,
weeping on my shoulder:
“Tommy was a real American!
That’s why the Russians
Killed him
With space rays!”

————

Alex says: “This is my website which has my short bio and the link to my books
http://www.nyqpoets.net/poet/alexgalper.”