My parents used to

hang my artwork 

inside

the refrigerator,

but the joke was

on them

because my art was

mostly of bananas

.

---

“My Father Tereso” by A. Pelias

---

Keep circulating the URL

My box of Fruit Loops

says, “No gluten”,

but if I was really

worried about what

I ate

I would look for

the box that says,

“No Fruit Loops”.

.

---

2.

---

Keep circulating the URL

Q.

Do you know why

fish never sleep?

***

Because they are

so damned busy!

.

---

“Busy, busy, busy!”

say the fish in my bowl,

swimming around,

never shutting up.

---

I asked myself, should

I really have another

serving of pancakes?

***

I had already finished

three helpings, and

though I was dining

at an eat-all-you-can

pancake restaurant,

I still felt I might

be over-doing it.

***

So, I asked God for a sign.

***

Any sign at all.

***

From the television

above the counter:

Mining disaster.

Many feared dead

Hundreds missing.

***

“Thank you,” I said.

Another helping it is.

I could lie

and tell you

that Trefology

is based on

NEWLY-DISCOVERED

Atlantean texts.

Though I doubt

you’d believe me.

***

Then, again,

maybe you would.

***

Because, do you know what?

***

They are.

.

---

Keep circulating the URL

Last night my

goldfish died.

Driven insane

by syphilis!

***

I wanted to give

the fish a proper

Christian burial

***

but I was at

a loss in the

matter of fish

***

So, taking a page

from the Bible,

I wrapped the

fish in it.

***

Bon voyage, old friend.

.

---

---

RIP Vida

by Mary Cellini

© 2021

I picked up my

first guitar

at the age of five,

***

and, I immediately

threw it off the

apartment balcony.

***

Then, as my dad

was running

down-stairs

to try and save it,

***

I picked up my

second guitar.

Some days the voices

in my head tell me

to do bad things,

***

And other days the

voices in my head

tell me to do good things.

***

Mostly, though, the

voices tell me that

whatever I choose to do,

to please take extra-

good care of my head.

***

“Why not wear a helmet?” they often suggest.

At any given party in

high school, you wouldn’t

have to ask me twice

if I wanted to dance.

You wouldn’t even have

to ask me once, because,

most likely, I was not

invited to that party.

---

I was at the park

and enjoying my

Sunday afternoon,

when a ladybug

suddenly landed on my hand.

***

I said to it

***

“Ladybug, ladybug, fly away home,

your house is on fire, and your

children are gone.”

***

Then I blew

on the ladybug,

and off it flew.

***

But then I began

to wonder if I

hadn’t needlessly

worried it.

***

“I’m sure your kids are fine!” I yelled after it.

.

---

Keep circulating the URL