Paul Pfleuger, Jr.


Three Untitled Poems

imagine olde world gold
classical gold classical white 
ancestral gold only natural
colonial revival sea green 
clean green direct green
wall street easy green
socialite white cultured pearl
privilege green gorgeous white
welcome white sensible hue
individual white moderne white
smart white polite white
aesthetic white spatial white
nice white dreamy white  
alluring white intimate white
pure white touching white
divine white heavenly white
dignified superwhite extra white
stop wild current reflection
cotton white plantation brown
browse brown fiery brown
ponder passive rock bottom 
black of night nuance
less brown  steady brown
well-bred brown suitable brown 
bohemian black black magic  
gray area free spirit

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warned of dark winter
nights are growing longer
red flags are flying
the winter ahead looms
yes winter is coming
on its inevitable way
dark and deadly winter 
darkest days of pandemic
a new winter phase
past the breaking point
the worst to come
from chaos to crisis
surge upon a surge
however you describe it
that time upon us
eventually deaths come up
more people will die
the virus will remain
time to cancel everything
avoid contact with others
help flatten the curve
christmas will be different
the science is clear
science will save us
be safe and smart
we the people will

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urge to express feelings
talk openly about them
make time to talk
pick a good location
put your devices away
lead with the truth
tell about your day
find the right words
put words to feelings
tell them you understand
listen beyond the words
yes I am listening
I want to connect
paraphrase or say back
get on their level
get through to them 
without dancing around questions 
ask questions for clarification
open and honest questions
field those small questions
be open to answering
honest albeit age-appropriate answers
brainstorm possible explanations together
show you are interested
decipher fact from fiction
give parts of yourself



Originally from Buffalo, New York, Paul Pfleuger, Jr. now lives, writes and teaches English 
in Chiayi, Taiwan. His work has appeared in several anthologies and in print and online journals. 
He is the former co-editor of R'r online journal and is the author of A Zodiac, a collection 
released by Red Moon Press in 2013. 
 
 

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