You don't have a clue， says the power drill

    to the canoe hanging from the rafters.

    Is life a contest everything plays

    by different rules for different prizes？

    You're really worthless， aren't you？

    barks the cherry tree covered with eponymous

    fruit to the wagon¹ lying on its side.

    Unfair！ Wasn't that wagon not two days ago

    leading the parade， the puppy refusing

    to wear her hat？ Can't you just leave me

    alone？ says the big picture of Marilyn

    Monroe behind her nonreflective glass.

    Is the universe infinity² in ruckus

    and wrack³？ The third grader loose

    in dishwares， the geo-tech

    weeping on the beach. Mine， mine，

    says the squirrel to the transformer，

    unclear on the capacities of electricity.

    String of Christmas lights tangled⁴ with

    extension cords， can't you work things out？

    The young couple takes a step toward the altar，

    increasing the magnetic force that sends

    ex-lovers whirling off into nether⁵ nebulae

    but attracting mothers-in-law. In one wing，

    the oxygen mask taken from the famous writer

    of terza rema glee while in another

    an infant arrives， loudly disappointed

    to have to do everything now himself，

    no longer able to breathe under water.

    Will we never see our dead friends again？

    A motorcycle roars on the terrible screw

    of the parking structure， lava⁶

    heaves itself into the frigid⁷ strait.