Poems from the 12-Hour Sonnet Contest: Baloney, Matt Stefon

Matt Stefon is the author of the poetry collection Beyond the Spaghettiville Bridge, from Alien Buddha Press. He lives in New England.

Baloney

It doesn’t match up—I know it doesn’t

match up to the expectation that you

had when I came home last night back

from the store with a bag that wasn’t

exactly full of any of the things

you had by then already come to expect

after countless market trips before—on

which I’d spoiled you—like a spoiled king,

but which contained the substance of the meal

I, over-work weary, then made you, and

left out to cool and then, asleep, left out

all night. And spoiled. So now, to break the fast,

fresh cold cuts served with love on a bread plate.

You can even eat this plate. That is great.

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