paradise

i found paradise at glen manderson's backyard circus
a penny for this
a penny for that
but paradise was a nickel

i wanted to see
how they'd fit it in a moldy tent
paid my nickel and lifted the flap
in the dark i saw a dish on a tv table
in the dish a pair of dice

paradise i whispered syllable by syllable
all the way down elmhurst
to brookmere
& home