Waterbed

For those who survived home and are creating safe havens for themselves.

Waterbed
By Steven Fales

Shh! That’s my mother
Sleeping in her waterbed.
Isn’t she beautiful?
You should see her do
All the things she can.
Amazing things
Creative things
Magical things
You never thought she could.
It’s not a sin to want win.

Psst! Let me tell you
My mother is the kind of
Mom who eats her young.
She’ll feel bad—if she’s caught.
But you cannot blame her.
She gets hungry, too.
Faking
Quaking
Breaking
Hunger makes one mad.
Hands off her oxygen mask
She only shares her pills--
Tons of pretty, favorite ones
Spilling
Chilling
Grilling
Here’s the Pez she bought me.
Which flavor would you like?

Shh! That's my mother
Grinning in her satin sheets.
I do award-winning work
So mommie gets the credit.
I love her though I never suckled
Her twice-augmented breasts
Nor did my younger siblings
Struggling
Fumbling
Rumbling
They go hungry, too.

Exotic iguanas and dancing cobras

Cannot be bothered with common

Mammalian vicissitudes.
Saline and silicone for six, please:
Tits, fangs, lips, tongue,
Skin, bone, fur, fun,
Snore, hiss, bark, kiss,
Wedding bling, feather blur,
Rainbow color in the water,
Weeping willow under pillow
Tarry well, fairy tale,
Someone stole my tooth.

Don't! The bed will move.
There, there, close scare.
Isn’t she the best?
So capable
So durable
Adorable
But firstborns go first.
See? She ate my hand.
Delicious
Nutricious
Reptilcious
My daddy’s hands are gone.

Please don't wake her up
Until I've fed the others.
Yearning
Burning
Churning
Stewing
Brewing
Chewing
We need to let her sleep
So she can dream her dreams.
Look! Thank your lucky stars
I found some change for milk.
Shh! That’s my mother
Sleeping in her waterbed.