Old Man Cooper

The following is an excerpt from Outlaw Poetry: a collection of poetry about outlaws by Ben Shakey. It will be published by F & J Howard Books in April 2009

Old Man Cooper

Never spent one dollar

So Relaxed
The stewardess thought he was flirting
not taking hostages

The plane landed and took off again

Hands didn’t shake once
as he drank scotch
smoked cigarettes
counted money
checked parachute
stepped into the loading bay doors

Hands didn’t shake once
as he tightened the necktie blown loose in the wind
and leaped

“The F.B.I. reports that D.B Cooper most likely died in the descent.”

He lived
brought no attention
worked empty jobs
told boring jokes
kept the lawn even
and hung up flashing Christmas lights

Never spent one dollar

Drank scotch
and his hands shook
“What did die in the fall from that plane?”