Daughter of Uncle Sam
   
She is sucking coals
hot coals
burn
 
stops for a moment
movement reflected
by a passing squad car
red lights strobing
 
howls
painfully
pathetic
howls
 
a baby
somewhere
in the dark
naked
hungry
 
baby in the night
she strokes fire
coals burn
her feet
for the hell
of it
 
she does it
for the hell
beneath her rough shift
pushup bra
and good teeth
with a raked 45
spreading fire
in the house
like any good
citizen
without
complaint
or
cause
 
hear the am radio
news show
about someone
beautiful
 
hot
coals
 
take them
cold
the dog tells her.
 


John Frost