Your Services are No Longer Required

 

We’re looking for someone else—

someone who knows how to run the

mower without rolling over the cord.

When you roll over the cord, it tends to

make the mower stop.  Always

 

when that happens, you’ve mowed

half the yard.  One half crew cut,

other half electrified mullet.

So please, do us both a favor.  Don’t

return next Thursday or any other day.

 

The mower is still in the shop, the grass

is out of control, my nephew came over

with his Lawnboy and mowed in narrow

lines, giving the effect of many Mohawks

or an abundance of bowling alleys.

 

He thought he was being funny.  He’s not

coming back either.  Your money’s in

the envelope, though truth be told,

you don’t deserve it.  It’s

really pay to make you stay away.

 

 

Karen Loeb lives in the American Midwest.  Recent writing: Thema, Hanging Loose, Main Street Rag and elsewherePoems forthcoming: Nerve Cowboy, Wisconsin Poets Calendar.  Online writing in Crania, Otis Nebula, Boston Literary Magazine. Find out more here