Fall Allergies

Political pollutants taint the air this time of year--
worse than ragweed pollen, loblolly pines,

Queen Anne's Lace, grasses galore. Yard signs,
TV sound bytes, slick flyers, Internet yahooing,

Robodialing, stump meetings, word of mouth
disease threatening our health more than Swine Flu.

Mr. Big Brown Shops

A handsome man
dressed all in brown
from his cap to his shoes
considers stew meat
at the supermarket.
I wonder
if he's the man
who always rings our doorbell
before scurrying back
to his chugging brown truck.
Or the same man
who brings treats
for our barking Sheltie,
waves at us
if we make it to the door
before he revs up his truck
then rattles away
in the fading daylight
like a brown phantom.