Ron Koertge

Right in the middle of a snoozefest about nouns, Charlene slaps Tony
so  hard he almost falls out of his chair.

We’re all   Now what?  But instead of making a three-part Netflix series out of it Dr. Teacher tells a story about this Apollo guy

who was all over Daphne. Would not take NO for an answer.   Chased after her.  Teacher said, “Her garments  trailing behind her.”

Daphne’s  super-fast but Apollo’s gaining,  so she asks her dad-god
to save her and just like that he turns her into a tree!

That’s  when Charlene says, “Be a real forest around here
if girls could do that.” 

It’s quiet then.  Dr. Teacher lets us out early.  Usually, we all smoke
in the parking lot.  Tonight

the girls laugh by Sonia’s Kia. Guys lean on Tony’s Camaro.
Somebody  says, “Garments are like clothes, right?”

 

You can trust me, baby

She doesn’t trust the shoes
she  borrowed.

Doesn’t trust the hype girl
or the giant keg,

She really doesn’t trust
the giant keg.

Doesn’t trust the tunes
or the tunesters,

sort of trusts  the fireflies
in the yard but not

the gazebo’s  green door
with a real lock. 

Would rather be home 
with bears in her bed, 

their soft paws, things
she says

things she tells them
to say back. 

 

Ron Koertge (pronounced KUR-chee) is the current poet laureate of South Pasadena, CA.