“Lo and Behold”

By Thomas Page

I am student teaching a senior level class in Washington, DC. They have to write some poems on these prompts. I decided to try all 30 of them. However, I will not say what the prompt was but what it number was.

Prompt #24

Lo and behold, the armadillo vexes

The cars passing by until the buffalo verges

Into focus to block the faded pueblo vents

Of the desert landscape as fresh as a spent Portobello venting

Fumes into the sandy air like faded cigarillo veneering

The purported “no-smoking” section a la the diablo vending

Wares from the kitchen behind the pies limoncello versing

The public in pseudo-Italian saying piccolo veritas

That suits the opera on the radio, Ravel’s bordello venture

In some English class in Rhode Island or Virginia with some Punchinello vestige

As their mascot, maybe even a buffalo or armadillo vexillary.