The Rival Wizard
by Sam Stokley
Is there a rival wizard, David?
Someone who blankets you everywhere like
a straitjacket, a quake in the gut, the claws
of jealousy emergent. Who is it that consumes
your space? Here’s some candidates: Criss Angel--
jokes. Houdini--a dragon. The midwife--
yes, it’s her magic comes closest. Your baby girl
features prominently on Instagram
with no clues to her own emergence.
From what earthly womb was she
wrought? These two points
form a line onto which I extrapolate
your existence: echidna, platypus. Here,
some more coordinates: (butterfly,
banana) (aloe vera,
stars).
Someone who blankets you everywhere like
a straitjacket, a quake in the gut, the claws
of jealousy emergent. Who is it that consumes
your space? Here’s some candidates: Criss Angel--
jokes. Houdini--a dragon. The midwife--
yes, it’s her magic comes closest. Your baby girl
features prominently on Instagram
with no clues to her own emergence.
From what earthly womb was she
wrought? These two points
form a line onto which I extrapolate
your existence: echidna, platypus. Here,
some more coordinates: (butterfly,
banana) (aloe vera,
stars).