Seven Ways to Look at Newspaper

I.

Covered in plastic and slick with the saliva of a dog,

it arrives.

 

II.

Read through glasses

at the early morning table,

always carrying

terrible news.

 

III.

Spread in water and glue

and plastered against a metal mold

with sticky fingers.

 

IV.

Forcing the gears to turn

in your head

as you try to solve the puzzles

on every page.

 

V.

Folded into little hats

that sit on the heads of

little children.

 

VI.

Thrown into a dying pit

to feed the flames of a dwindling fire.

 

VII.

Spilled coffee.

Stray pen marks.

Creased and ripped.

All renewed the next day

to begin again.