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Don’t Get Too Comfortable
Wal-Mart sells muumuus and elastic-waisted slacks,
blue silk pajama-pants with forgiving draw strings.
Yes, we are all on an airplane,
space will be tight—the journey long,
but you never know when you may need to deplane.
It’s the Serengeti out there
on the hot asphalt tarmac, folks;
showing up at the bottom of the escape slide in your
stocking feet
leaves you a limping zebra,
and yes, you should count on lions.
so bring your running shoes, leave your sarong at home.
'Is it uncomfortable to be a rhino?'
I ask myself as I cinch up my leather pants
and pull cuffs down over my boots,
No, but road rash—ribs to rawed knees--
is a few more choice words than ‘uncomfortable.’
How comfy are silk pajamas,
fuzzy sweater, feet up, tube on,
licking damp Cheeto cheese off each finger and thumb,
when walking by the nightlight-reflected window
I see cheese powder and crumbs cling
to my fleeced, fat, flaccid breasts?
I’ve passed men creamy as honey-buttered bread
and men warm and spicy as sweet potato pie
for a man with enough bad habits
to fill a whole ‘nother poem—
made of pickled jalapeños and mescal--
I want to be pulled taut as a rubber band,
snap each time he crosses the room.
I want to see my reflection
square-shouldered and strong, sleek of hip and breast
chin held up high, eyes ready
for what comes next, and next…and next…
Tanya Rucosky Noakes
was born in the mountains east of Pittsburgh. She has degrees from the University
of Pittsburgh in English Literature and Information Science, and a further degree
in Environmental Education from Slippery Rock University. She has worked as
an archivist, editor, organic farmer, teacher, UN representative, and park
ranger and has wandered around Europe, the American West, and spend several
years in Thailand and Taiwan. Currently she has wandered over to the other
side of the planet where she owns an organic farm and runs a community
environmental organization in rural Australia.
She has been published in Taproot, The Sow’s Ear Poetry Review, and Soul
Fountain among others, and has a chapbook which came out in May.
Email: Tanya Rucosky Noakes
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