Fruits of Labor

Fats chases Lady Madonna
into a blue-hued Monday
and I’m afraid the barrelhouse boys
are contagious
So, I read Henry Miller in the rain,
pray for a timeless transistor to let Baby Love
dance the wild night
The Son of the Morning Star
burns slick tires raw,
crashes upside down into the river
No one casts a line,
no one throws a net,

mercies auctioned off
for a song and a dance

William Teets, born in Peekskill, New York, has recently relocated to Southeast Michigan. He misses New York pizza, corner stores, and the Hudson River. Mr. Teets’ poetry and prose have been published, or upcoming, in numerous literary journals and anthologies, including Blood+Honey, Argyle Literary Magazine, San Pedro River Review, Ink in Thirds, andAriel Chart. He is the author of two poetry books, After the Fall (2023) and Babylon Redux (2025), both published by Cajun Mutt Press.