Stretching the canvas for more space

From my latest book, Vanishing Fair, available on Amazon.


Hey, the new issue of 
Southern Living is in
There's a sentence I never thought I'd say
Mostly because I have never heard
Of the magazine before
But since I am in current phase
Of reading what I ordinarily wouldn't
And realizing that The Sunday New York Times
Was too much of a time hoover
To leave room for anything else
I picked up this magazine from the periodical shelf
And dove in
It did have Octavia Spencer on the cover
Which was a good sign
But I don't know whether it was by accident
Or editorial design
That the first photo inside
Was one of a pie
Apple, I'm assuming
Without any other ingredients included
I zipped through the articles about
Throw pillows and Japanese maples
All pleasing enough in their scope
Only a clutched paw of more bits of string
To add to my ever-growing sphere
Which may or may not serve any purpose
In the W.H. Auden sense
Or inspire something of limited or lesser value
On my own

Copyright 2020 by Steve Keil