Carnival

by Bernadette Mayer & Philip Good

It was a sunny cold day when
yellow petals of tulips fell
on our table here and there

when science setups said so
because who knows which scene
is not to be forgotten
like chocolate flowers in view

this is a very letter s obsessed science
setup, such a splendid yellow scene

even the chocolate tulip is yellow
in as much as it’s sleep, naps are yellow
as in super bowl, snowy owl

supper time owl hoot heard in the night
we stop chewing in disbelief
no candles lit, no coffee on the stove
on the other side of a closed window
we hear

the owl was letting us know
not to forget about it
an all-sex owl on the tree-of-life porch maybe

poetry porch life for all
leave your troubles at the door
bring fresh baked goods and more
we will play the waiting game and
guess the color of the next tractor

for brown and white eggs we have
an ancient scissor
with a rooster as a clue
to lop off the top of each soft-boiled
before you dip the sticks of toast
into the center