A Day in the Life
Make sure Chanda leaves for school
with warm kisses on her head.
Pick up lettuce, carrot, and for
something a little different, maitake.
At the Party Store grab big bright
balloons, along with a poster of
Nella, the biracial princess knight
who rides her pink unicorn and battles
Badalf, the wicked wizard.
On your way home, get gas.
Call your wife to let her know
she is Queen of Niskayuna.
Turn on the stove, throw in
the diced onion and garlic.
Eat less meat and more vegetables.
Read Doc McStuffins to Chanda.
Grade papers.
Plan lessons for next day’s classes.
Look up at the night sky.
Breathe in the cool autumn air.
And pray for no more news
of another school shooting.
*
Bunkong Tuon is a Cambodian-American writer and critic. He is the author of three full-length poetry collections and a chapbook. His publications include The American Journal of Poetry, Diode, Chiron Review, Paterson Literary Review, Misfit, carte-blanche, among others. He writes for Cultural Daily. Tuon teaches at Union College, in Schenectady, NY.
