Dear neighbor-to-the-north of mine—It is with the
Utmost high regard that I would like to inform you
Of the presence of your son’s whirligig flying object
That abruptly ensconced itself into the interior
Of my pride-of-pride, Grandiflora rose bush, and in the process
Decapitated a couple of the most radiant, rosebud clusters
That had previously adorned my otherwise barren, lackluster
Backyard. Well, I just wanted to say, no worries!
And that I well know that accidents do happen,
Especially when kids somehow magically channel their
Monsters and demons in healthy, outdoorsy ways.
Please retrieve said son’s IFO, preferably ASAP.

Milwaukee poet Stephen Anderson is the author of three chapbooks and three book-length collections, In The Garden Of Angels And Demons (2017), The Dream Angel Plays The Cello(2019), and High Wire (2021). His poetry has been featured on the Milwaukee NPR-affiliate, WUWM Lake Effect Program.