Bladed stars
shuriken with bright black tips
spread out wide against soft cassis cardboard like bats
behind a glass case.
I’m shopping from a safe distance.
Five feet back, where the merchant
can’t catch my breath.
Ten minutes or so and
now my sneakers have set
into the muddy tire treads of this rained out road.
The morning’s bagel keeps me warm.
I’m not really shopping.
Just standing still.
Bladed stars, grant me ninja speed.
Focus.
Precision.
I love it–the alliteration, the way it comes full circle, “cassis cardboard…”
Shuriken: a super hero?
shuriken’s a throwing star, but it would also make an excellent super hero name…..
also, let me take this moment to plug your “Brown County” poem, which was the original trigger for this ‘un:
http://watermelonmoon.com/2006/03/brown_county_indiana.html
-Cecil
Unreal. My fav of all time.