Hall Standup
We’ve been waiting all morning
well not waiting exactly we’ve been busy
but in an obscure corner of Mind
that ugly elf in the hall closet
has been practicing his standup routine again
or so we imagine
well not imagine exactly
floorboards in the hall have been creaking
suspiciously, and several times
we’ve heard music and laughter start up
only to shut down immediately
like someone muting their cellphone
so we won’t hear
he used to play the Palace Ballroom
now he just plays closets
it’s a real challenge he’d say
to make coats and hats laugh, applaud
their owners elsewhere starting to itch
then scratch until they give themselves a rash
like poison ivy or fleabites
Saturday nights are the worst
they’re at it until 3AM, their muted howling
like secrets whispered in another room
their breath on us like heavy phantom sleeves
The Dog Star 
2 Responses to “Hall Standup”
This has the essential element of weirdness…
I think of it as overt imagination. Poems are 90% imaginary anyway. The trick is to get it to fit in with the remaining 10%.