L. Ward Abel

I.
Cary Grant and Claude Raines
took cocktails with Nazis— 
cocktails, mind you!

II.
And morning came and light filled 
a mourning room, its paintings torn 
but living just the same.

III.
It's always green somewhere 
along the belt of the world 
filled with water and trees.

IV.
It's always late somewhere 
someone rising and falling 
into bed, at lunch and dinner too.

V.
The subtle curve 
from June to December 
pivots on a metal base 
soon molten in its cirques 
and misbehavior.

VI.
Naked, the couple darts 
in full view of patrons 
from Baltimore to Kyiv 
free and unafraid 
of any drones.

VII.
And Bogey sent a manuscript 
for me to read—he wants 
an answer soon like now or 
even sooner with notes 
in the margins and highlights 
and arrows.

VIII.
No stress on an early porch, 
the verse will write itself 
as long as the pen is loaded
though ammo has been scarce 
as of late.