National Poetry Month: PLASTICIZER 3 (LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER) (from Beijing Plasticizer) by Joyelle McSweeney

For trampling the thicket of thick

chiclets clotted cream a dulcet emulsifier

a tranquilizer moon the Emperor Penguin

is dithering over which shoe to spoon

place a goat outside the ladies’ quarters with a dish of salt to snuff

poor goat. Dies of salt poisoning. Causing the Emperor

to reel as in a little boat: choice has failed him

and so has chance. Celestial Emperor

Cellular winks sadly to Captive Emperor Penguin from his

Tower while the traffic wrinkles lasciviously and squirms.

Between the second and third rings of Saturn you will find

National Rent-a-Car, where you may use your plastic

to rent on credit.

This poem is from issue 38.1. You may purchase a copy here.