My Dog is Running Faster

— Kenn Nesbitt

My dog is running faster

than he’s ever run before
in a supersonic circle
in the middle of the floor.

He started somewhat slowly

but he quickly gathered steam,
and continued gaining speed
until his spinning was extreme.

He’s turned into a whirlwind,

like a funnel cloud of fog,
so it’s hard to even focus on
my whirling dervish dog.

He’s like a small tornado

or a canine hurricane.
Why it doesn’t make him dizzy
I’m unable to explain.

I only know he has this

most unusual of traits,
and he loves to chase his tail around
while wearing roller skates.
 A Goat in a Landfill
— Kenn Nesbitt

A goat was in a landfill

eating garbage and debris
and came across a movie;
a discarded DVD.

He chewed the case and cover

and the flavor made him smile.
He took the disc between his lips
and nibbled for a while.

He thought, “This film is brilliant;

full of action and suspense.
The story is exciting
and the fight scenes are intense.

“It’s got a lot of comedy,

a touch of sweet romance,
and music so inspiring
it makes me want to dance.”

He gnawed a little longer

through some drama and a chase,
and finished off the movie
with a grin upon his face.

He gulped the closing credits —

one more bite was all it took —
and thought, “That film was awesome
but I still preferred the book.”
 Sailing Off to Singapore
— Kenn Nesbitt

I’d like to sail to Singapore,

Jakarta or Rangoon,
but our boat is barely moving
on this windless afternoon.

I’d steer my ship to Stockholm,

set a course for Southern Spain,
I’d be guided by a lighthouse
off the rocky coast of Maine.

I’d cut past Krakatau

and chart a course to Katmandu.
I would voyage into Venice,
and I’d cruise around Corfu.

I’d glide through the Galapagos,

and drift through the Bahamas,
where I’d navigate by starlight
in my mariner’s pajamas.

I’d skim the seven salty seas

and plow the briny waves.
I would circumnavigate the globe
exploring coastal caves.

I’ll shortly start my journey.

I’ll begin my travels soon,
in this boat parked in our driveway
on this windless afternoon.
 A Penguin’s Toes
— Kenn Nesbitt

A penguin’s toes once froze

from strolling slowly through the snows
because her clothes exposed her toes
or so I’m told.

A penguin’s knees can freeze

from speeding freely through the breeze
and freezing knees can make her sneeze
and catch a cold.

A penguin’s bill will chill

from sitting still upon a hill
until she’s ill and had her fill
of being cool.

But her digits ALL go rigid

frozen stiff and frosty frigid
when a penguin
rides her icicle to school.