once

while riding across the cobblestone streets of the farmers market, astride a purple dodo with a regal beak despite a rather peculiar aversion to trolleys

the ebony tears of the matrimonial dissidents cascade like tar from the pockmarks running along the veins of the last vestige of peace or love

a woman in a canary yellow tuxedo and long carefully braided emerald tresses milked almonds in a long forgotten act of indecent and unseemly religious fervor

on and on the dodo strode indifferent to all but the steam powered locomotion on metal rails carrying tourists to the cannibalistic flower gardens

once