2 June 2007 | Vol. 7, No. 2

A Flock of Iagos Waiting in the Wings

by FRANK MONTESONTI

On a bridge in Indianapolis

I'm getting covered with coils of snow

like George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart) in It's

a Wonderful Life before he wishes he

was never born and then is swallowed

whole by an alternate universe

like a snake unhinges its jaw and admits

even the bones. So, sans George, the ursine

winter took his brother's life, the druggist

went to prison for dispensing rat poison

instead of aspirin and no kindly bank