POETRY<br>1,000 Micrograms Per Cubic Meter<br>by William Lessard<br>Writer of the Month
you have been adapted from the videogame soundtrack
of the award-winning musical reimagining
of the novel that saved your life
you float on a dented toilet at 30,000 feet
61 grams of fat, 2,920 milligrams of sodium
stretched out in lawn chair beneath your left eyelid
traveling from Dallas is always like this
experts say it's due to algorithm
that replaces words in the Bible with flavors of ice cream
(something like: #MyAge,
son of Isaiah,
son of Cherry Vanilla )
you lean your head against the cool metal
the new strategy is dedicated, closed-end
vehicles with 24-month lifecycle
welcome to the Duck Universe,
a spin-off of the Mickey universe
that centers around Donald and rich uncle Scrooge McDuck
this story was different when the monster
only had three heads
(not thirty-three, with opposable thumbs)
the schedule says you will be blowing
across the Middle Kingdom at the rate
of 1,000 micrograms per cubic meter
it will be a welcome change
dense regions of galactic halo
a spiral galaxy with well-defined arms
a universe you unwrapped one night
on a ham and cheese cruise across a break room poster
Virginia is for lovers