DEATH ISN'T BUTTERFLIES AND BALLOONS

Children learn
to whisper
eulogies for dead pets
in marmalade sun and
bury bones under popsicle
stick crosses
somewhere between the rose
bush and sun
flower patch out back.

Death isn't
butterflies and balloons
or kid's shows
but ballads deep in
the gut
of Johnny Cash.

It's ok
as long as we have
air conditioning and
all you can eat buffets.

Hanging clouds
of toxic waste won't
take us
if we pretend
they aren't there.


Jason Hardung's work has appeared in THRASHER and DRIFT magazines. His poetry has appeared, or is going to appear in LANGUAGE AND CULTURE.NET, BLACK BOOK PRESS and WSN POETRY ANTHOLOGY 2007. He is also an editor of a literary magazine in Colorado called FRONT RANGE REVIEW.