circles
edging
out the
spaces
the circles
are going
nowhere
a
pixel
paces it-
self
unable
to walk a
straight
line
I think
I’d run circles
around
oscillating
sighs if this
tinfoil
life wasn’t
wedged
between
frames and
time couldn’t
tell
where I
begin
or I end
in Oz
when you were finally
taught to speak you
called me human
without laughing but
were hard put to prove
that without wincing
not surprising
if only for the scarecrow
inciting the squalls
and the spells
frightening the parts
of ourselves strung
out over the fields
intimidating the
crops and the crickets
straw heads
hindering tin words
sounds made of meat
staring down the lions and the legs
recoiling at your feet
ribs just crumbs
cast off by you
a smile too human
too confident to shriek