Cooking the Books

heroic deeds
performed
yesterday
mean nothing
to green sirens

daily victories
and wet kisses
recorded
dutifully
in today's ledger
are customary

while tomorrow's
promises are
as meaningless
as payment
of last week's
wages

Ole South

I could
if I would

resurrect

jelly roll
sounds

from red bricks
in the quarter

found notes
newly round

like bales
of cotton
sweat-stained

rolled up ramps
onto steam ships

London bound