FOUR FEATHERS PRESS ONLINE EDITION: PANTOUM FESTIVAL Send up to three pantoums on any subject, totaling up to 150 lines in length, in the body of an email message or attached in a Word file to donkingfishercampbell@gmail.com by 11:59 PM PST on December 15th. No PDF's please. Color artwork is also desired. Please send in JPG form. No late submissions accepted. Poets and artists published in Four Feathers Press Online Edition: Pantoum Festival will be published online and will be invited to read at the Saturday Afternoon Poetry Zoom meeting on Saturday, December 16th between 3 and 5 pm PST.

Wednesday, December 13, 2023

Jackie Chou

Wide-brimmed Hats


You know you're getting older,

when you start wearing wide-brimmed hats

to block the sun from tanning your face,

which has never occurred to you before.


When you start wearing wide-brimmed hats,

in colors that match your dresses,

which has never occurred to you before,

you might be losing the blush of youth.


In colorful dresses,

you roam the suburban streets.

You might be losing the blush of youth,

because no one is whistling at you.


You roam the suburban streets,

plucking flowers to adorn your hat,

because no one is whistling at you,

and that you wish to be admired.


Plucking flowers to adorn your hat, 

which blocks the sun from tanning your face,

oh, how you wish to be admired,

knowing you are getting older.




Achy Breaky Heart


I can hear the cracking of your heart

As we dance the tango chest to chest

Though you and her are now apart

To you, she will always be the cutest


As we dance the tango chest to chest

You pull me closer to feel your pelvis

To you, she will always be the cutest

At five-foot-four, you're no Billy Ray Cyrus


You pull me closer to feel your pelvis

But nothing compares to sex with her

At five-foot-four, you're no Billy Ray Cyrus

With teary eyes, your world is now a blur


Nothing compares to sex with her

Though you and her are now apart

With teary eyes, your world is now a blur

I can hear the cracking of your heart




Avoiding Doctors


The cat, who is sick,

doesn't want to go to the vet,

extracting probiotics

from his own vomit.


Not wanting to go to the vet,

he's rolling on his back,

covering up his own vomit,

his limbs stretched out starfish-like.


Rolling on our backs,

the cat and I avoid the doctors,

our limbs stretched out starfish-like,

in denial of our disorders.


The cat and I avoid the doctors,

naturally obtaining probiotics

for all our disorders,

knowing we’re both very sick.


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