By J. J. Steinfeld
If you can imagine two eye-patched giants,
half real, half mythical, standing side by side
in the middle of a crowded shopping plaza
one eye-patched giant speaking incessantly
word after word
words large and small
monosyllabic and polysyllabic
the other eye-patched giant tongueless
but gesturing incessantly
both inspiring awe
by their size, words, and actions
the crowd keeps growing
the giants larger than the largest rock stars
both famous and infamous
the crowd lavishing superlatives
and words close to prayers on the two.
half real, half mythical, standing side by side
in the middle of a crowded shopping plaza
one eye-patched giant speaking incessantly
word after word
words large and small
monosyllabic and polysyllabic
the other eye-patched giant tongueless
but gesturing incessantly
both inspiring awe
by their size, words, and actions
the crowd keeps growing
the giants larger than the largest rock stars
both famous and infamous
the crowd lavishing superlatives
and words close to prayers on the two.
Then when the activity was intensifying
a small dog, as if it were a dogged manifestation
of setting things right or saving the day
I’m not sure which,
starts barking
nipping at the heels of first
one eye-patched giant then the other
until the loquacious giant
brings down a giant foot
on the irritating dog
ending its existence
and the gesturing giant
a dog lover from way back
punches the loquacious giant
and then the fight begins
the main event between two deities
showing off for mortals.
Canadian poet, fiction writer, and playwright J. J. Steinfeld lives on Prince Edward Island, where he is patiently waiting for Godot’s arrival and a phone call from Kafka. While waiting, he has published 25 books, including An Unauthorized Biography of Being (Stories, Ekstasis Editions, 2016), Absurdity, Woe Is Me, Glory Be (Poetry, Guernica Editions, 2017), A Visit to the Kafka Café (Poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2018), Gregor Samsa Was Never in The Beatles (Stories, Ekstasis Editions, 2019), Morning Bafflement and Timeless Puzzlement (Poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2020), Somewhat Absurd, Somehow Existential (Poetry, Guernica Editions, 2021), Acting on the Island (Stories, Pottersfield Press, 2022), As You Continue to Wait (Poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2022), and My Post-Holocaust Second Generation Voice: History / Memory / Identity (Poetry, Ekstasis Editions, 2025).
