Wild Oats

 

It is a whole lot easier

to back out of driveways

than marriages;

I don’t know why,

but she was mighty pissed

when Pat told her

he was too young to marry,

there were still wild oats

to sow.

 

 

"WILD OATS, WILD OATS?",

she screamed

"I’ll show you WILD OATS!"

 

 

She came at him with a hammer

from the tool box

in the garage.

 

 

He thought about hitting her

but remembered the

law.

 

 

Instead,

he ran away

down the street

(falling out of his shoes

a third of the way

down)

as she chased him

still screeching:

"WILD OATS WILD OATS WILD

OATS..."

 

 

Neighbours stood around

on the sidewalk

laughing

while I sat on the front steps -

waiting for dinner

or mercy -

counting the ants

that came out of the hole

and made their way
toward the faux brass
railing.





--Ryan Flanagan