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March 15, 2020

Cabin Fever! 
And yes, it warrants the 
Exclamation point. 
Is Toni Collette a good actress? 

Evening sun casts 
A rectangle, a small rectangle 
Of brilliant light on the grey, 
Deep grey person’s desk. 

It feels better when you partake
In something physical. 
Keeping in mind exertion of the cells, 
But doing something physical. 

Bet two thousand on the Hard Eight,
Slick your hair back,
Be annoyed by the horror movie’s 
Effect on you. 

Is it earned and where’d
He find that ugly little girl? 
Or she. Watching, passing the time, 
No you can’t be down there when he’s watching. 

The trance is broken! 
Do not snap! Snapping will not be tolerated 
When the father returns, 
A long drive and no success to show for it. 

The dog isn’t supposed to be
Up, on the furniture, 
But it suits her so well--
Like Gwenyth Paltrow in her early roles. 

So fancy, putting in all 
The pop culture references
Thinly veiled, the sound track pulsates, 
Be scared now. 

Be scared now! 
Such is the macabre. 
Twin spires of guilt and boredom, 
Construct miniatures of the things you hold most dear. 

Now it’s time to log off the server. 
You won’t find friendship there. Or you will, 
But you’ll miss them too much to enjoy
The act of simple construction.

A mother’s grimace. 
No pride in what you’re doing, 
Sitting at the long desk 
In the early evening. 

Or maybe that’s reading into it too much. 
Oh but you’ve been taught by the director, 
How to view these small scenes 
Each as important as the one before it, 

Sequenced carefully to build suspense! 
Give you a jolt. Everything plods 
Toward some violent payoff, especially 
The father’s return. 

Retreat to the basement, 
Add this leaflet to the thinning pile,
A frightening place. 
Stay in the sunlight as long as you can. 

It’s why we’ve changed the clocks. 
Participate in our illusion. 
People are going to think this too messy, 
But it’ll be the blood pouring from their heads by 

The time the credits roll. 
Doom! The portrait maintains prominence 
Above the long desk, the subject’s neck longer still. And 
All she wants to do is play restaurant. 

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