Someone Comes Knocking
by J. R. Carter
Home > Nos. 14/15 > Poetry

I let them in.
They tell me I’m a jerk.
I tell them to fuck off.
They go away.

I take a nap.
When I wake up I find
soldiers in my bed—
toy soldiers fighting
a miniature war.

I tell them to go away.
They become watermelons
and I carry them to my
car and drive to the
country where I sell them
at a roadside stand.

I take the proceeds and
buy a lamp to help shed
some light on my
sorry state of affairs.

Please continue your travels in the Republic by purchasing Nos. 14/15, Fall/Winter 2004.

John Randolph Carter holds an M.A. from the University of California in Los Angeles and currently teaches at California State University, Fullerton. He also attended the Royal College of Art, London. He is a poet, artist, dancer, and drummer. His design awards include the New York Art Directors Show and Graphis. His fine artwork is part of numerous public collections including that of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. His one-person exhibitions include the Minneapolis Institute and the University of Michigan Art Museum.