WD-40

by Jeff Burt

Craig Bennett

If only we had political strength WD-40, 

that you could spray a little on an MTG or MG 

and the braying, the screeching, the informing 

about its presence could be silenced by a squirt. 

The door would re-assume humility 

in being a utility again, no longer the portal 

which the candidates think they provide

into a yawning perfecting future, 

but simple wood, hinged and soundless,

meant once to be opened, and then kept shut.

Jeff Burt lives in Santa Cruz County, California and has worked in administration of electronics and mental health care.

MATT GAETZ'S VERSION OF THE STATE OF NATURE

by William Aarnes

with apologies to John Locke 

Time to get back 

to that best of times  

 

when each man acted 

as his own magistrate, 

 

each with the right 

to keep his neighbors 

 

in their place.  Time 

to win back that freedom 

 

the so-called officials 

have taken away.  Time        

 

to bring government 

to an end.  Time 

 

to pledge allegiance 

to only ourselves. 

William Aarnes lives in New York.

FLORIDA MAN AT THE CAPITOL

by Mickey J. Corrigan

Cartoon by Andy Marlette.

On the same marble floor

where legislation is passed

and the invaders broke in

on January 6th

Florida Man held contests

for scoring with aides.

In this historic building

where laws fail to pass

for equal rights 

for all 

Florida Man lit up

donned a gas mask

during session.

From this legendary building

where flags became weapons

the mob broke down doors

looted rooms, beat cops

Florida Man made dates

online, young girls

hired and seduced

by his political clout.

Outside this same building

in the early spring sunlight

yet another cop killed

the violence continuing

while Florida Man 

FOX-faces us all

proclaiming his innocence

in all things unseemly.

Originally from Boston, Mickey J. Corrigan writes tropical noir with a dark humor. Novels include Project XX about a school shooting (Salt Publishing, UK, 2017) and What I Did for Love, a spoof of Lolita (Bloodhound Books, UK, 2019). In 2020, Grandma Moses Press released the poetry micro-chapbook Florida Man. The Physics of Grief puts the fun back in funerals while taking a serious look at the process of mourning (QuoScript, UK, April 2021).