Thursday, April 3, 2014

Donal Mahoney- Three Poems

His Mount Everest

Bug no bigger
than a comma
scales the wall
next to my recliner.
He's climbing
his Mount Everest

and headed 
for the ceiling,
a solo climb,
no bug in front,
no bug behind him.
He has no gear

and miles to go.
He may fall
at any moment.
Let's hope 
he signed up 
for Obamacare.

 

Winter in the Checkout Lane

Old lady on a park bench
hunkered down 
babushka and shawl
snow and wind
dancing everywhere
as she waves her cane
and says young man
you and I are in 
the same checkout lane
our carts are heaped
with many good things
we can't take with us 
I'm ahead of you
and can see a sign 
on the register 
that says "no cash, 
no credit accepted 
but everyone pays. 
Have a nice day."



The Parlor of My Dotage

In the parlor of my dotage
I have a grand piano where
the ghost of Shostakovich 
plays "Chopsticks" every night
while I in my recliner 
drink vodka in pajamas
and cheer old Shosty on.

Tonight the concert's interrupted
when Granny in her nightcap 
dashes from her bedroom 
and shouts in high soprano  
"Send old Shosty home.
I need a good night's sleep.
I have Mahjong in the morning."

Through my bullhorn I shout back, 
"I won't send old Shosty anywhere
until his concert ends at dawn.
Then I'll put my parka on and saddle up
the horses and take the master home
Old Shosty swears that global warming 
is no problem there at all."


Donal Mahoney lives in St. Louis, Missouri.

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