Flea Market Fandango, 1985

Bladed stars
shuriken with bright black tips
spread out wide against soft cassis cardboard like bats
behind a glass case.
I’m shopping from a safe distance.
Five feet back, where the merchant
can’t catch my breath.
Ten minutes or so and
now my sneakers have set
into the muddy tire treads of this rained out road.
The morning’s bagel keeps me warm.
I’m not really shopping.
Just standing still.
Bladed stars, grant me ninja speed.
Focus.
Precision.

3 comments for “Flea Market Fandango, 1985

  1. Austin
    March 27, 2006 at 2:57 pm

    I love it–the alliteration, the way it comes full circle, “cassis cardboard…”
    Shuriken: a super hero?

  2. March 27, 2006 at 3:42 pm

    shuriken’s a throwing star, but it would also make an excellent super hero name…..
    also, let me take this moment to plug your “Brown County” poem, which was the original trigger for this ‘un:
    http://watermelonmoon.com/2006/03/brown_county_indiana.html
    -Cecil

  3. heroic imp
    March 30, 2006 at 10:52 am

    Unreal. My fav of all time.

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