From Ethel Jacobson’s Mice in the Ink.

Campaigner

The decibel
Weaves a spell
Quicker than
Logic can.

Outline for Everything

Heaven

A place of Babylonian splendor
And cherubim of neuter gender.

Earth

In practically every stratum
Cash is the main desideratum.

Hell

The climate’s frankly far from swell —
But how august our clientele!

Giraffes and Gnus

Giraffes and gnus
In zoos amuse
Curious crowds
Of humans whose
Ludicrous aspects,
It ensues,
Likewise amuse
Giraffes and gnus.

First Word

Imagine it —
 A prodigy!
Today she talked,
 And fluently!
No child of ours
 Could be a dunce;
But — to converse
 At seven months!
Although it’s strange
 She chose to speak
In Toltec, Czech —
 Or was it Greek?

Driving in Traffic is Hardly Seraphic

I start. I stop.
I barely crawl.
I spurt ten feet.
And then I stall.
I’m tooted at, stared at,
Hooted at, blared at,
Sideswiped, glared at,
Gestured at, sweared at!
It’s more than mortal
Flesh should bear,
Merely to get
From Here to There.

Nevermore Shall Dawn This Spring

Nevermore shall bloom this rose,
Nevermore shall dawn this spring.
Cherish it before it goes
Past all vain remembering.

Take the slight and fragile gift,
This brief measure of delight.
Soon the scattered petals drift
Down every heedless wind of night.

Kuan Yin, Goddess of Mercy

Curved and cool as the lotus,
She gazes undismayed
Across the inconsequential dust
Where dynasties are laid.

How much wider, bloodier
Must grow the mortal rift
Before a torn world pauses
To take her quiet gift?

Atomic Courtesy

To smash the simple atom
All mankind was intent.
 Now any day
 The atom may
Return the compliment.