Rita Ciresi

Tanka: Thirteen, 1973

bubble umbrella
pink poodle pajama bag
sick purple mood ring
Tangee lipstick (theatre red)
ashes in a tambourine

Love for Sale (99 cents)

Pink foil doilies
Hollow milk-chocolate hearts
Red glitter pencils
Spanish-language Valentine cards
(para ti, mi amor, con mucho carino)

I grab a bottle of Ultra Joy.
Get me outta this Dollar Store
before I pull a postal
on those cheap ceramic Cupids.