My father’s father sold tombstones

door to door, with lines from

dime novels like _this is a just reward_.

I met my just reward when I sold

father’s tombstone for a whore.

I recited lines from novels as she gave me sores.

My mother was procured

by lines from dime novels

father sold door to door.

Like a line in a dime novel, I

walk the graveyard moor. Eyeing

mother’s tombstone: quite a score.