Clockwise

1.

Imagine the phoenix
as it newly arisen comes
to find it is tethered
to a toad.  The toad
is you; Melchior will read
from the Book of Terrible
Secrets as she flies
straight into the sun.
Enjoy the ride;
from up here you can see
all the cities
as they burn.

2.

Little three-headed worm,
Mother's gonna buy you
an ibis bird

& if that ibis bird don't speak
your other mother's gonna
bring you the King of Thieves

& if the King don't sing
Other Mother's gonna
bring you the proud peacock

& if you pluck all seven
colored feathers, Echidna's
gonna show you the rook all black,

you're flying to the moon
& never coming back.

3.

Fair maiden, the clock
has its ways, as do
the two suitors
catcalling

your from across
the waters.  Now here
they are, about to block
your path,

one pointing to his fiery
beard, the other offering
to share his latest
playlist.

Even the wind sees through
this bullshit.  You'll note
how neither wears
wings.

4.

That's my last dryad hung upon the wall,
looking as if even in death she's too
shy.  How I tried, building her this cabin
inside the drywall, stuffing it with moss
from her native forest.  Above her, the
heads of two majestic automatons
crafted by the master Daedalus him-
self.  On the higher shelf, the sentient snake
once used as a whip by the ancient Am-
azons, now stretched at my leisure after
too many truths revealed under his lash.