2 poems

by chuck leary

illustrations by palomine studios

harold and rufus harold stood on the corner the light would not turn green his dog rufus was beside him his collar was shiny and clean how many long hours had harold stood on this spot? he tried so hard to remember but he could not was red alive and green dead? or the other way around? the cars went by forever but he did not hear a sound rufus remained as faithful as he had ever been through rain and snow and lightning his collar was shiny and clean harold looked across the street to fate he would not yield red would not last forever green would be revealed

walter the sky was blue the earth was brown a breeze passed through the little town one cloud was white one cloud was pink walter thought i need a drink i need a drink and then another the sky is my sister and the earth my brother in fifteen minutes i must leave this bar and try to sell a human a car o what did i do to deserve this fate my dreams were early and my crimes were late today is just another day just one more drink and i will be on my way