Morgan Michaels Poems

Now is the time to come-
and the tree, swept clean
of purple, hosed
into the gutter like after-the-wedding
...

It was Friday night, seven.

Standing before the door in the hallway of the 30th floor, Donnie rang the bell twice and waited. After two long minutes, the door swung open and there stood Larry, in his lab coat and head visor, sleeves rolled up. Larry had a home office that allowed him to deduct 20% of the rent.
...

The phone rang. Larry picked up, and looking at Donnie, mouthed 'Paul', and pointed to the mouth-piece with his index finger. Reading his lips, Donnie nodded and resigned himself to a long wait. Paul was Lolly's vet. Larry was Paul's wife's dentist. Donnie met them at NoMad, last Christmas, after the early sitting. Donnie sometimes thought that Larry straddled the socio-professional divide a little too freely, but didn't begrudge it- this was New York, after all- what goes around comes around and it was his business. The phone call left Donnie free to watch the show, which was funny enough. He soon became engrossed in its home-video antics. Minutes passed and the call continued. Donnie waited patiently waited its end.

Larry was still talking and Donnie was still watching TV when he felt a nudge at his instep. Looking down, he saw Lolly. The free-ranging tortoise was flirting with his shoe.
...

Popsicles are back
at Costco, gone all winter long
and the ice cream guy's truck's
back, back,
...

Being friend's with her'
s like strolling a mine-field:
despite the lightest tread, you're sure
a blow-up'll occur
...

Many times it's come and gone
an invisible 'X' on the calendar
in a season of speculation-
as many times as you have years:
...

Donnie shook his foot free of the amorous tortoise. The creature fell away and crawled guiltily off.

Larry hung up the phone and sat down in the rocker.
...