At St. John’s, Late                          

Imagine an end derived from our lives:
You assigned to some pale product of strife,
Some boy astonished to have been lifted high,
And I to some glowering Maria,
Innocent of all now past innocence.

Things I Didn’t Know Until This Morning’s Mail

I agreed to purchase a specific number of books.
I failed to order all the books it seems.
And did not pay for what I did or did not order.
A letter was sent to me recently, advising that the Clinic has arranged
To have a credit firm serve as my billing agent.
Amount charged. Amount approved. I may be billed.
Someone is concerned that I haven’t yet
Responded to that letter about my payment.

Nor have I yet responded to those two previous letters
About the EZ Order below.
But I have the power to stop further efforts
And protect my credit index listing.
And my account will be placed, I see, with the Credit Bureau of Texas
Unless I contact my doctor right now.

John Presley, a Professor of English in the Illinois State University College of Education, has been writing poetry for 45 years. His work has appeared in journals ranging from Blue Unicorn and South Atlantic Review to Troubadour and North Dakota Quarterly. He is the author of a chapbook, How Like a Life.

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