portion of the artwork for Daniel Gallik's poetry
Middle Class Poetic Lives
Daniel Gallik

The insanity of weather,
Jimmie said, and chaos
Makes for a bad married
Couple. His wife of more

Than thirty years did
Not respond, kept to self,
Ended up saying, washing
Machines meant more to me

When the kids were kids.
Jimmie kept it up, I don’t
Like this heavy wind today.
Means something more is

Coming. Laura laughed,
Wonder what those two
Girls are doing with their
Hubbies on a Sunday? I,

Jimmie responded in his
I manner spoke, I like
Chaos, and I feel we don’t
Have it anymore in marriage.

Laura looked into Jimmie’s
Eyes, I love you. But I
Love the kids more. I miss
Them. Not you. Statistics,

The man spoke, are what we
Are about in the end. And
That end is now. Laura
Cried because girls are

Numerically supposed to.
Jimmie collected his tools,
Found a farmhouse, another
Woman, had more kids, and

Died in five short years
Of a disease related
To the weather. And move-
Ment. And too much time.


Return to Archive




FRiGG: A Magazine of Fiction and Poetry | Issue 33 | Summer 2011