october of 2009

CAConrad
four poems from The Book of Frank


Frank grew crows for hands

it was a difficult childhood

at dinner during prayer
his crows flapped
excited in the name of the Lord
"FRANK! KEEP STILL!" Mother hollered
"did you wash your crows!?
did you wash your FILTHY STINKING CROWS!?"

when Father died
Frank was found
straddling him
his crows picking the seven
gold fillings


****


"would you sign
my book Mr. Poe?"
Frank asks the pile of bones
amidst shovels of dirt

"why certainly young
man" answers Frank in a
different voice


****


"I'm here for the show" the man said
looking under Frank's shirt for the door

"I'm no theater" Frank said

a line formed

must he admit them all?

many had umbrellas

a blind woman
waited with
her dog

"it's gonna be a great show" someone said
"but when's he gonna let us in?"

Frank's tears began to fall

someone ripped his doors open

they filled him for an hour


****


pig says to Frank
"this fence keeps you in your world"
Frank says to pig
"this fence keeps you in your world"
pig says to Frank
"this fence keeps you in your world"
Frank says to pig
"this fence keeps you in your world"
pig says to Frank
"this fence keeps you in your world"


-------------------------------------
CAConrad is the recipient of THE GIL OTT BOOK AWARD for The Book of Frank (Chax Press, 2009). He is also the author of Advanced Elvis Course (Soft Skull Press, 2009), (Soma)tic Midge (Faux Press, 2008), Deviant Propulsion (Soft Skull Press, 2006), and a forthcoming collaboration with poet Frank Sherlock titled THE CITY REAL & IMAGINED: Philadelphia Poems (Factory School Books, 2010). CAConrad is the son of white trash asphyxiation whose childhood included selling cut flowers along the highway for his mother and helping her shoplift. He invites you to visit him online at http://caconrad.blogspot.com/ and also with his friends at http://phillysound.blogspot.com/