by Wendy Willis
1. We are obliged
to seek forgiveness
from darkling ghosts
for the backwaters
of what we thought
we thought. 2. A road pitted
with milkweed
and vinca surely ends
in an opaque city,
a squared-off mayor
& missus can you spare some change?
3. Four white feet
are unlucky
on a racing pony.
Never bet
on a gray. 4. Warning:
A late beer
in a father’s hand
can only turn out
badly. 5. You can’t warm
to the title widow
without kissing
its round-O mouth
and carrying home
a scrap-purse of stones.
6. Press slow
toward
the milk-sotted morning
for fear of sparrows
and slant-dreams.
7. Set the hook
& spit on the worm
for luck.