Pi脙卤ata in the Marching Band

By Paul Jolly


You don鈥檛 want a condom
rolled off the slick cock
and stuff it into its envelope.

You don鈥檛 re-origamify an inflated airbag
and stuffed into its pouch with hope
it repeats its trick next crash.

These things are one-use items,
and no one complains, even in this stern
reduce / reuse / recycle climate.

So get off my back about the pi脙卤ata.
A bee dies in the sting, and a male
Praying mantis is only good for one screw

before the female snacks on his head.
At most hysterical tune鈥檚 climax,
in front of the judges鈥� booth, the bass

drums do their thing, the low note
of a baritone sax makes everyone pride
-giddy. The drum major will nod at me.

I will deliver a resolute whack that ricochets
for city blocks. It鈥檚 a thump no
drum can muster plus candy.