Homer was a ventriloquist;
so drunk, one day he projected his voice
so far it just

kept going and going (still is)
Joe ray insisted
Homer was afraid of work, but he’s

had 130 jobs or more
just recently, he didn’t think in terms
of careers.

The family never
cared for Homer
even after

he ginned himself into a wall
and died balling
with a deaf-mute in an empty Kansas City hall.

Joe Ray insisted
Homer would have made a fine dentist
had he kept his mouth shut; that is

had he lived. Still is
heard about the house
jiggling glasses,

his devoted astral voice coming back.