Night of the Rubber Chicken

NIGHT OF THE RUBBER CHICKEN

She stands at the top of a hill
'neath winking stars at the Midnight hour,
praying as she works to dress herself.

Bare feet
bright blue shorts
Grandma's house dress
pink and purple makeup
red lipstick
glitter
peacock feathers
paper bag hat
long white gloves
tiny bells

Her watch beeps Midnight
and she turns to face the bright full moon.
Tears struggle to overflow onto parched lips.
With a naked chicken in her hand
she raises her arms high and dances.

She thinks to herself
"I have nothing left to do but this, so I will gladly
run about as a crazy woman,

raising a ruckus with rubber chicken in-hand,
because someone told me
it might take away my pain."

In desperation
she has tried everything else,
so she dances...

By Ellen Schnakenberg