Gun

(A Modern Tale)

He brought a gun

into the garden.

The days of sassy 

hydrangea were 

about to end.

He brought a gun

into the barbershop.

If he had to wear 

his hat when he left

there'd be trouble.

He brought a gun 

into the bookstore.

The clerk had better 

be able to explain 

e.e. cummings 

once and for all.

He brought a gun 

into the jazz club

and demanded a 

recognizable melody.

He brought a gun

to the circus.

He enjoyed the 

trapeze act while 

keeping an eye on 

those creepy clowns.

He brought a gun

on his commute 

and fixed all the 

broken turn signals.

He brought a gun

into the parking lot

and gave lessons 

on parallel parking.

He brought a gun

to work and presented it

as his status report.

(They got the message.)

He brought a gun

to the moviehouse

and all the cell phones 

went quiet.

He brought a gun

to the grammar school

and made spirits

from angels.

He brought a gun

to the high school

and made heroes

of the innocent.

(He was neither.)

He brought a gun

to college because he

was incapable of 

higher learning.

He brought a gun

on his date. He finally

got her attention.

He brought a gun

to the Army base.

They never saw 

it coming.

He brought a gun

to the Bible study group

then showed them 

what he'd learned.

He brought a gun

to the ocean and 

issued his demands.
(There would be no negotiations.)

He brought a gun

to his bedroom

and made the demons 

sleep forever.

for James

Ken Owen   Van Niddy Press   December 2015