Lawrence Hall
Dispatches for the Colonial Office
We Ask Everyone to Respect Our Family Privacy at This
Time
“Our family privacy” – people
keep saying that
A friend came over and mowed
my rankling lawn
Because finding a lawnmower
mechanic these days
Is like searching for a
unicorn in a shopping mall
Their family privacy – I’m
blessed with friends
But lawnmower mechanics seem
to be extinct
The temp today was 98 at noon
Nobody chants “Learn. To.
Code.” anymore
Their family privacy – chicken
pot pies
Are on sale at Brookshire’s
for 88 cents
I’ll mail all those bills this
afternoon
That’s a really nice shirt
you’re wearing today
Their family privacy – a middle-aged
woman
Sheds tears upon an altar of
VHS tapes
In privacy
