Self

If you’d open

The door to the cage of my ribs

To look for the bright cardinal

You’ve been misinformed


he was starved a long time ago

the cage has been cleared of his feathers

though a few droppings are strewn

The cardinal will not sing


If you’d pry open

The latch to my mind

To find intelligence and wise thoughts

You’ve been misinformed


I’v rented out the space

to a quiet couple

they don’t make much noise

I think one of their names is Trudy


If you slit open

the curve of my stomach

To find a few good laughs

Then you’ve been misinformed


I lost the laugh in my throat years ago

I’m pretty sure

the frog took it