Italian Ice and Wiffle Ball
pink tofu
the glamour of sin
The Big Apple’s
intrinsic beauty
seeds floating
around the core
bubble toes
only the king
is allowed to eat
lychee fruit
three fires inside the flesh
grass jelly laughter
do not eat
the bittermelon seeds
or they will grow
in your stomach
uptown:
playground games
low-income sweat
asphalt nostalgia
Rhinelander
and the youth of today
Rupert was a brewmaster
life’s complications
are excuses, not reasons
the pigs and chickens
live happily, together
make naan
not war
batter up!
Jonathan Hayes lives in San Francisco, California. He has taught poetry at 826 Valencia – a writing center for children – located in the Mission District of the City.