Grace Estes

blame the chimney bird

to mistake a roach  

for a hand, reach 

inside a chimney: 

kindle a twig but touch 

a crunch of mandible  

knuckles, antenna 

tweeds of suit 

& tie. 

crackling thorax,  

you 

a supple heart snared 

by withered wings, lift  

the sparrow 

dipped in ink. 

& watch 

the rigid oil drip – 

tearing  

mahogany cold, 

huddling hearth. 

maimed by chains  

of wrecking wails 

and seeping souls, 

hatching larvae 

along phantom flames, 

ghastly wisps of 

echoed cries 

caught 

between cock- 

roach eyes. 

dust the chimney, 

roast the pig: 

carve out 

her licks 

of souring 

pink. 

donation box (dated 2012) 

wrap your fingers around the notch 

unleash the mildew molded botch 

splinters stuck between the bars 

plucked wood carvings of puppet hearts 

playtime born from midwest walls 

beneath these hollowed russian dolls 

sort the martyred bunny fluff 

from long forgotten powerpuff: 

jaundiced barbies with chewed-up feet 

the cabbage patch sunbaked in heat 

your mangled hair monster high 

victims of the Hair Straightener Fry 

lip-gloss glazed bratz galore 

corpse of fluttershy 

(crushed by door). 

a mother, a daughter, marionette hands: 

girls once, 

lost by trance.