The Poetry of Mark Daniel Milbocker 
Smoking the Humble Cob

When one descends upon a virgin coast
toss no fishheads in your tracks
and trade your planks for fiddlebacks
to tame the forest and quench the roast
of noonday bleachings of whale-sized ghosts
leave the shinies where they lie
for we trade in seeds and sheaves and scythe
so squash the gourds and dare not to boast
but arch your back and give your most
for a handful of beans can climb the sky
or at least luxuriate in cornstalk lullabies
so dry your cob and mend your post
to shelter the stranger and hale his toast
with porridge fires and trinket gifts
of flint corn kernels to winnow and sift
so we sup on wise lyes and leave pellagras exposed.
■





©2024 Mark Daniel Milbocker  All rights reserved.