#parents

The Contender

the contender

quits playing piano

he has important messages

to compose and address

the capitol is full of alligators

which makes no difference

to contender one

or contender two

and so being the one remaining

fully reticent and beautiful

in a seated position

his interest distracted by elemental yawning

and by the positioning systems

signs must be delivered

like bleeding signs

routes that lead us to showrooms

dotted with geometry

and a fax machine

if it isn’t a problem for you

it becomes one

if you ask politely

when low on hope for cooler afternoons

with less description

contender zero will call your parents

to tell them he has quit

going to replica mining villages

and instead has built his own

and is now working full time for you

as an attempt to greet

the stages of feeling

that exist when a contender

lowers a rope into a well

then into the sea

then into the well again

then into the sea again

because you asked him to

and that is his duty