“Flickering”

 “Flickering”

by Suzán Jiván Mom

& Mom-Mom Suzán 

Flickering reflections 

fresh perceptions 

shimmering in mirrors 

mother and sister

mommy sissy sibling sis 

second selves bosom friends 

familial patterns of clarity 

in two-way glass…

“Personal Rhythms”

 “Personal Rhythms”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

Personal rhythms essential respect 

flowing from within lingering feelings 

dreamy intimacy hints of melancholy 

haunting appeal increasingly free …

“The Mirror”

 “The Mirror”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

The mirror the wall the hand the looking glass

combing hair trimming mustaches

plucking eyebrows applying eye shadow 

face powder talc mascara lip lacquer…

“Not on Your Life!”

 “Not in Your Life!”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Not on your life! absolutely not 

not in a million years hogwash codswallop 

malarkey poles apart it all started with the dolls

in versions of TikTok …

“Playing Roles”

 “Playing Roles”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

Playing roles over and over 

competing re-appearing 

starring heading the cast 

topping the bill taking a bow

kowtowing curtsying 

repeating, “salaam” …

“A Real Head Turner”

 “A Real Head Turner” 

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán 

A real head turner

an eye-catching dazzler femme fatale

heart-throbbing doll face cup cake 

a real dish a peach a beauty queen …

“Well-Worn Expressions” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

” Well-Worn Expressions “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Well-worn expressions to the rescue
“I can’t even begin to tell you!”
while attempting to coax complexities
out of a hypothetical terminal request
for the ruthlessly aggressive
not likely to become upset
as a stand-in for someone else
pressing the accelerator pedal
subpoenaing presidential records
as mounting congressional prep
exhibiting loosely held napes of necks ...

“Defying an Uproar” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

”Defying an Uproar”

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Defying an uproar ignoring norms
in The Oval Office chastising reporters
forbidding the back and the forth
proffering the demonstrably false
to the crisis point in streaming wars
of the ruthless sort like murky waters
never seen before in hi-def
like spray-painted graffiti
precipitated by heavy artillery
ending in blizzards of scribbles
having been wacked first
with a sharpened chisel
earbuds in lips zipped
along with lengthy asylum lists
overfilled with digital face recognition...

“Trump Tanks” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

“Trump Tanks”

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Trump tanks as senators
shilly-shally claiming,
“Don’t blame the absinthe!”
for the impatient dashes
covering mouths
with one hand
sharing clouds
of flaming
orange hair
as braggadocio
hotly hangs
in the air
like richly
sinister acidity
with corrosive
pressures building
feeling the need
to blow whistles repeatedly
under strict anonymity
while protesters
light bundles of sage
outside the Whitney
on pay-what-you-wish evenings
given the full range
of hot-button issues
going strictly
to the highest bidder ...

“Promising More Subpoenas” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

”Promising More Subpoenas “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Promising more subpoenas
becoming increasingly combative
like confrontations in the Capital
as continuing attacks
seemingly eager to unearth
damaging tragedies
where ballads and traps meet
bombastically as a cascade
of allegorical statuary
like shooting fish in a barrel
jumping and gasping after badmouthing
laughing out loud internet happiness
scarily ‘n’ thrillingly nasty
acting absurdly savvy
after benefiting from pared-back
salves and powders including talc
being sprinkled into ever-greater disasters ...

“Using Riskier Tactics” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán...

” Using Riskier Tactics “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Using riskier tactics threatening to snap
being pinched back by crackdowns
trickily balancing rushing onto rafts
while fording across The Rio Grande
bashing bug repellent brands
preparing for planting
sporting peacock tails
mimicking your friendly
neighborhood Spider-Man
as an heir to animated anagrams
of Iron-Man played by
an Abominable Snowman
in Times Square
along with “Wicked Phantom”
and “Frozen Aladdin” ...

“ Upwelling and Spreading “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

“Upwelling and Spreading”

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Upwelling and spreading
lost innocence gone viral
gruesome and violent
screaming and crying
secured by our own devices
in dark dark times
as set backs ‘n’ blow back
within tragically madcap
lines of trailers
dressed up roughed up
getting touched-up
as pain comes bubbling up
as a grownup
getting ready to curl-up in bed
while asking, “Is your room a mess?”
feeling both sick and sad
freaked-out parents
seeing sincerity as “scary”
ending up, “way way out there” ...

“ Alarmed Aids “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

” Alarmed Aids “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Alarmed aids stating,
“Don’t do us any favors!”
while longing for change
becoming unable
to let out the anger
labeled, “Reprehensible
witness intimidation”
all for personal gain
yet dismissing allegations
of whistle-blowing complaints
in uninitiated contemplation
of algorithmic disseminations
by the vexingly opaque C.I.A
layering informational tracings
taking eye-brow-raising creative
leeways of, “flap-ball-change” ...

“ Bolstering a Whistle-Blower “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

“ Bolstering a Whistle-Blower “

by Suzán Jiván Mom

& Mom-Mom Suzán 

Bolstering a whistle-blower

via newly disclosed

memos as sign posts 

of “abuse of power”

versus an “Absolute Joke”

veiled by the damage control 

of a five year old 

asking for “a favor” on the phone 

on the gray scale

of a genius grant 

in a MAGA ball hat

covered in inconspicuous

tchotchkes 

playing in The American League 

but the National 

associated by contracted quacks 

of “Far out, man!”

deeply steeped in vanity’s 

shenanigans 

flashing red hazards ...

 

“Audacious Disregard” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

” Audacious Disregard “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Audacious disregard
openly acknowledging
whipsawing proprieties
vilifying feeding
black markets
as the plight
of captive tigers
tugging at the back
of our minds
while sniffing
poisoned violets
in jars filled
with flashing
fireflies...

“Denying Wrongdoing” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

” Denying Wrongdoing “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Denying wrongdoing
while readying
missiles and ships
and purging eyewitnesses
losing coveted dignity
in subhuman conditions
for the long-predicted
short-lived
as the very very sick
face suicide bombings
staging the grandiosity
of homemade arms
performing autopsies
on the “No-More Kumbayas” ...

“A Second Cut” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

“A Second Cut”

by Suzán Jiván
Mom & Mom-
Mom Suzán

A second cut
seeking to be tough
with growing worry
but keeping calm
by layering on but not
knowing who you are
donning bikini tops
revealing arms of not
just the body politic
going on and on
as a nuanced obvious
while hemlines drop
head on like con frocks
for cropped artists’ smocks
with logo collars as a come-on
shadowing the low-cut tops
of followers ...

“ Alarming “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

” Alarming “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Alarming levels of lead
tons of dangerous metals
as public health threats
results of testing intending
to play down the risks
of hosting children
under the age of six
undermining accountability
lacking in transparency
“Just how dangerous is Paris?!”
showing off fashion fighting for marriage
lavender everything and everywhere
plant-based skincare wildflower face masks
precious exotic plants in food and cocktails
feeding demand brought together
by books and battles via tragedy extravaganzas
wearing big bad gangster plaid jammies ...

“ Nothing Doing “ by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

” Nothing Doing “

by Suzán Jiván Mom
& Mom-Mom Suzán

Nothing doing
like manufacturing
whispering
and hastening hearings
while finishing malt whiskeys
and atoning for slavery
weighing in on vaping
while proclaiming,
“The inherent limitations
of stirring the incidentals”
yet remaining
vividly in the present
inseparably
spawning “the cult of flatness”
seen clockwise from top left
shown off to good effect
subjected to the timelessness
of the whiplash of success
casting witchy spells
with the finesse
of a copacetic chucklehead...

“From the Runway” by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán ...

”From the Runway”

by Suzán Jiván Mom & Mom-Mom Suzán

From the runway adopting self-preservation
at the highest levels by embracing
namesake labels of several greats
assembled from misappropriated donations
as printed on a scandalous front page
wearing aviator shades with rhinestone appliqués
glinting at varying angles backstage
tracing the whiskers of a hurricane
out of sight of the bravest
donning chunky wood bangles
as a collaboration with genuine nature
like gingham and anchors away:
“Take that unsustainable
star-spangled male gazes
puncturing draped clichés ...