The Poetry of Mark Daniel Milbocker 
Apprehension of the Linear

The child holds a candle 
aglow with the mirth of crayons
finger painted onto a spent tablecloth
to be framed and gushed into embarrassment

The child exhales to stop 
the people vibrating in consternation
dancing in patterns never intended

The punishment of innocence is 
not knowing the rules that border dogma
into a passion for squelching 
childish blubberings

So it is that lines should not touch
and a child should never draw
lest the runes conjure devils
to make the townspeople queue to
watch my drowning.
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