San Gabriel Valley Poetry Quarterly

Michael Cluff

D made sure H was gone
for good
not to Hades or Bedlam
although the latter would
have left sweetness
in his saccarhine mouth

then started in on Z
although swarm
is hard to trace
at most points
along the Trans- American highway
or for him
and a bad joke by C
low-way.

J just existed in his quiet way
until a minor point
would cause quietus
to his savvy and soul.

U and S are still deadbeats
in a blank evil-doed eyed
sort of way.