Peter Keller

Seattle, Washington

Published inForm. Reborn and PicFic throughout 2009
as a Regular Contributor

1

Huddled he's alone
wearing thick stale whiskey breath
as an overcoat
against the constant rainfall
of tears from his children

2

Search party trailed drops
of oil, screws, stripped nuts to track
the wounded robot

3

I swat a pesky fly.
Small victory, crushed as well;
it fell in my drink.

4

It took ten thousand years for this rock to end up at my feet. I threw it back into the ocean.

5

Balding shirtless man, wandering around his living room, silent routine. In a single motion, closes curtains. My telescope is useless now.

 

Red. Or Blue?

Wire cutters. Sweaty palms. Dark. Right wire? Holds breath. Squeezes. Snip! Silence. Sigh of relief. No more neighbor's 3 am car alarm.

 

Learning Curve

Crap. Fifth orange cone flattened.

"Really? All those hours of video games? And you can't drive better?"

"Wait 'til I become a Ninja, Dad."

 

cinquain

Each blade
of grass is a
safe hiding place for ticks
waiting to hitch a free ride on
my shoe

 

Muscle Man

Look! There he goes again,
the one without skin!
Exposed muscles, organs, vessels!
He scares all the kids
but medical illustrators love him

 

What a Feeling

"What's this I'm feeling?" she asked.

"Love," Dad offered. She  paused, letting that feeling glow.

"Wow...Mom makes the best  cheesecake."

 

Not Stopping

His hand got too close again. "Stop," she slapped. "Dad will be  home soon."

Nuzzling her ear, he whispered, "Don't worry; I cut his  brakes."