All the News

by Paul O. Williams and Michael Dylan Welch

First published in Frogpond 38:2, Spring/Summer 2015, page 59. Written from July to October 2004 via email. Paul died on 2 June 2009, before this rengay saw publication.

the daily word game

gives him trouble this morning—

his difficult son Paul

fingers blackened

by news of terrorism Michael

the dignified man

on the train—paper open

at the comics page Paul

fish and chips—

yesterday’s newspaper

wet with vinegar Michael

smoothing away the food

to read “News of the Weird” Paul

teen with a boombox . . .

dad’s eyes appear

above the headlines Michael