Edited by Phillip Levine. Submit up to three poems to Chronogram at a time. Send via snail or e-mail. Poetica. PO Box 459. New Paltz, NY 12561. E-mail: poetry@chronogram.com. Subject: Poetica.

The poem, "Punch Buggy Blue" contains language of adult content which may offend some.
We printed it because, based on merit, it belongs.  - Phillip Levine

...

Click and flash all you want.
We await the day
when bombs will fall on our city again,
crumbling these, our perfect, cold contours
into a warm plaster
where after some time
new flowers can grow.

- W. J. Internicola

He's lost playing
spaceman/fireman/pilot
leaping back to give me
periodic progress reports.
"The fire's out, sir!"
and "Lucky" (his stuffed dog)
"is flying the plane."

I'm trying to resist
the comfortable urge
to order another burger
as I mull over finances
until the boy cries,
"I'm scared."

I ask, "At what?"
but don't care
It's time we both
got out of here.

- Michael Neal Morris

Her heavy makeup
And dyed blonde tresses
Only hide what a face
Her mess is.

- Greg Schwartz

A girl reads Shakespeare
in the Cantina
waiting to be noticed.
Black is the color
worn by a girl
who wants to be noticed.
Somewhere there is a
red wheelbarrow
sitting with wild abandonment
waiting to be noticed.

- Ann Elizabeth Byrne

Hopes and wishes
Wishes and hopes
Wish the world wasn't
So full of dopes

- Peter Head

would not be attracted to me
if I gained weight
even if I was giving birth to
your baby
(swelling, smiling, with a little lopsided life inside of me)
maybe
you would like me more if I were
sticking a finger in my throat
sticking your dick in my ass
at least you asked
no glamour mag
said to shave my crotch
watch
while I
spontaneously de-combust
thrust
my trembling torso
inferior
interior
against your fist
and wonder
if I too
need
a radiator
replacement

- Sara Jane Wellock