<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div dir="auto" style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">Hometown Maskarade</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">wimple white</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">dingy dishtowel</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">black like a mud flap</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">skull and crossbones</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">bandana knotted in the back</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">hooting hallelujahs to the</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">red white and blue</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">mermaid in a sequined mask</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">shimmers through the sliding glass</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">lips spark red when she turns her head</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">to scan the store for her companion</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">a lanky ocelot who’s stopped</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">to wash his paws at the oasis</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">circling the pastry case</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">a human fly equipped</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">with army surplus mask</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">dual filters smudgy goggles</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">resurrected from another war</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">half a life away</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">silver swan from out of town</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">sashays down the liquor lane</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">I swear she wears Victoria Secret’s</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">French cut finery her face all lace</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">save for pale unflinching eyes</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">the eyebrows penciled in</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 22px;" class=""><br class=""></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">a tall giraffe in a blue serge suit</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">lopes down the aisle in my direction</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class="">He’s waving a small white flag at me</div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><i class="">Excuse me ma’am </i>says he </div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><i class="">you’ll have to wear</i></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><i class="">a mask in here</i></div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""> </div><div style="margin: 0px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;" class=""><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>- b. armstrong</div></div></body></html>