Sunday, January 13, 2013

The Fainter


It was obvious how to do it
Yet I couldn’t figure it out
Until I saw it in a movie
Then it became a question,
Was I wicked enough
To pull it off?
Was I strong enough
To see it through?

In one instant, you’re alive,
Eyes darting, heart pounding,
Gushing love, throwing temper tantrums,
Collapsing under weight of existence.
In next instant, you’re dead,
Cold and lifeless, end of story.
Leaving arriving escaping
The perspiration urine smell of fear

People tell me how smart I am,
But I’m not really smart,
More like lucky, and fast runner.
I run from everything.
Did I ever tell you about the times
I’ve run straight into death’s grip,
And that son-of-a-bitch
Keeps spitting me out

One more day, year, decade.
Ok, I say, and make more drawings,
More paintings, more poems,
More stories, more lies.
Live long enough, everything you know collapses.
I know I can be terrible bitch.
I apologize.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me.

Dreaming of moving away
Packing only bare bones of love
And commitment to never betray
Leaving arriving escaping
I wish I were married to one woman
And we lived quiet life sustaining passion
Is sustaining passion possible?

Under weight of existence?
One more moment, hour, night,
Eyes darting, heart pounding,
Gushing love, emotional insecurities,
Making more drawings, more paintings,
More poems, more stories, more lies.
People tell me how smart I am.
I can’t figure it out.


Wednesday, January 2, 2013

kinfolk



I dreamt a wild dream last night
Heard about two girl cousins
On my mom’s side of family
Who live in Louisiana

Both bred by female chimpanzee
And long lost crazy uncle
Who disappeared or passed on long ago
Mom say’s she never knew him

But mom’s got second and third cousins everywhere
All of whom she keeps in touch with,
Chatting on the phone, going out to dinner
When they come to Chicago

Anyway, I go to see the older of these two sisters
She’s singing in a punk-rock band
Wearing thin cotton loose-waist pink dress,
Dirty bare feet, lots of bracelets on one wrist

With low silky southern voice
And this way of closing her eyes in a trance
Falling off stage but not getting hurt
Then climbing up to balcony

Leaping out into audience
And somehow gracefully catching herself as she crashes
After the show I meet my cousins backstage
The performer is prettier, younger sister more muscular

They’re both friendly and attractive
In small town school-girl kind of way
I tell them I’m a figurative painter
And ask if they will model for me

They agree, and begin to take off their clothes
I hear a dog barking outside
Then waking from dream
Realize, it’s a car starting up in January cold