Relative Something

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it’s hiding where none of us will ever look
please don’t tell everyone that you already know
we’ve heard the last best reasons time and again
phrases your mother used to use
heavens to Betsy
usually from the kitchen or bottom of the stairs
sucking the salt from the empty peanut shell
one last time
knowing there were some who could chew the whole thing
at least gave us pause
like when the President told the FBI to kill us too
when they had their chance
but we didn’t go bragging to the world about it
there were fires in our fireplaces
slide projector fans blowing their own hot air
pillows on the floor but we still strained our necks
for a better view
and the way the screen smelled when you got real close
with blended chocolate milk whipped to a froth in that small Dixie® cup
there was no clue a virus would show up sixty years later
reshape the world to varying degrees
leave people gasping for a breath
listening to music without any instruments in sight
no records or tapes or discs
no moving parts
practically impossible intractability
echoing from every corner
of every night

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