in the remnants of scrapings

the cabinet smelled
of vacancy and fennel seed

he understood
the cabinets dream
of being referred to
as a pantry

he climbed in and lay down

an empty jar of peter pan
sidled up and spooned him
like a child

taxicab confessions played
on the sony down the hall

fear and hunger
lept out of the lemongrass
like a policeman
or a fawn

the prostitute in this episode
talked about danger
with authority
and suffering with love

she had fuck me cleavage
and fuck you eyes

he wished she had macaroni or rice

unscrewing the lid
on the peanut butter jar
he found an oracle
in the remnants of scrapings

and the face spoke
in a voice softer
than hooker lips and naugahyde
pear peel and lullabies
mothers milk and synchronicity

and the voice said
all things in moderation
except enthusiasm
perpetuity and jam

The poem, “in the remnant of scrapings” originally appeared in “Reject Convention” by Kleft Jaw Press.

Paul Koniecki is a Dallas poet. He hosts the Vellum Ouroboros and Pandora’s Box Poetry Showcase. His poems have appeared online and internationally in Entropy, [oon]#8, Blue Max Review, Bold Monkey, Not Dead Yet, and many more. He was once picked for the John Ashbery Home School Residency and he has featured in Ireland for the Blackwater Poetry Festival. He met John Dorsey in a burlesque house in Milwaukee.