Leah and Will

Born 3/19/09 @ 7:53 and 8:02 a.m.

Welfare

Fat lazy toad

sits on the edge of my pool

jumps in

splash!

Sucked into the skimmer

along with the rest of the

swimming pool

trash:

Leaves and beetles

and windblown clippings

of freshly mown

grass.

I fish him out

toss him next to

an old pile

of fireplace ash

But Fat Toad's quick

he's back in the pool

faster than Bobby Hayes

could run the 100 yard dash.

I fish him out again

put him out by the road

stuff his pockets

with cash.

Fat Toad says

hey padre

any chance 

you got any hash?

I give him a sliver of Lebanese blond

no thicker than a blind man's

eyelash;

No way Fat Toad's

getting a bigger chunk

of my private stash.

Toad sticks

out his thumb

seconds later has himself a ride

in a 53 Nash.

I go to bed

eat popcorn

drink pap

watch back to back to back episodes

of Mash.

And in the morning

Fat Toad's sittin

on my windowsill sash.

Says man what a bender

I sure could use a place

to crash.

I wave him back

to the spare bedroom

where Fat Toad starts passin

the most fascist and noxious

gas.

Months later Fat Toad's

still back there

and now he's got this horny

She-Toad

who's given him the most

vile rash.

She-Toad's a bitch

Ornery, brassy

and brash.

I finally give up the ghost

pack my gear

light out

on a long slow paddle

down the Allagash.

Belly Up!

38 weeks and counting...

434 weeks and counting...