Do you believe in the salvation of cling peaches? You don't?

Then what do you believe in exactly?

And why are there mosquitoes on your eyelashes?
Do you want to do the insecticide dance?

Then flap those silly flappers and arrange for two spray shoes

at four thirty-two next afternoon.
Do you collect refrigerators so that you have some place to slap

your magnets? Then take this true or false quiz.

Twenty lucky winners will cruise to Nova Scotia.
Do you require respiration between the casting gin bottles?

Oh don't tell Whistler those white lies,

those hungry atmospheric lies about the black and behind.
Do you save mollusk shells as restaurant souvenirs?

May I suggest you use them as ashtrays for your dolls?

I'm sick of the tiny burn holes in the carpet.
Do you twist your hair into pretzel shapes

and raid first aid kits for kicks? If so, leave your bathing cap

on my car antenna and I will find you.

Written June 14, 2004. Read Ivy Alvarez's interviews with Nick Carbó; and Denise Duhamel.