Poem of the Week #163

Rules and Regulations

You cannot put reptiles
or animal parts in the mail.
Why would you want to?

You cannot mail firearms,
knives, or revolution.
You might change someone.

You cannot mail lotteries.
(These are marked by a request
for payment, a cash prize,

and the element of chance.)
You cannot mail the promise
of false hope or true love.

You cannot mail mountains,
oceans, or umbrella drinks.
You cannot mail peace of mind.

You can mail elephant dung, but only
if it is art (with proper documents
enclosed) and not a form of fuel.

You can mail belly button lint
but only if disguised as a love token
buried deep in the creases of your words.

Lisa Vihos