Down in the T

DOWN IN THE T

“In the middle,
there isn’t much to see.
You won’t find anything
down here in the T.”

They think they’ve got it all
in their border towns,
all edgy and sharp
with education and grime.
They’d never take the time
to find themselves in the middle,
it’d be just a little like committing a crime.

But it’s down here
where things get done,
where the majority lives
– we’re damn near everywhere:
in the mountains, the country,
the mills and factories
among Scarlet Oak trees, we’ll be found, if you care.

And you oughtta, you know,
‘cuz our voice can be heard
– by those who listen, at least
though we don’t work blue
just like you guys do
up North, further West
and out East.

They think they understand us;
they don’t, just yet.
But they will; just wait.
It’ll happen someday
and they’ll never again say
“In the middle,
there isn’t much to see.
You won’t find anything
down here in the T…”

Posted in 30-30, Inspired by, Melissa M | Leave a comment

The Secret to a Long Life Is…

THE SECRET TO A LONG LIFE IS…

You may ask,
“How did you get that incredible body
the amazing vitality,
your spectacular strength?”
And you may wonder,
“How can I be more He?”
Go ahead: wonder.

I will tell you;
the secret
is my special diet.
What makes me so galactic
is the magic of peanuts
in their purest form:
the butter.

Peanut butter
morning, night and noon,
in all it’s myriad forms:
the cookie, the shake
the glorious peanut butter pie
at Renaissance Diner
(patent pending),
this is what makes me what I am today.
And tomorrow.
And next week.

Peanut butter makes me strong.
Peanut butter keeps me invulnerable.
Peanut butter, coursing through my veins
is what will keep me going long after you are all gone.
There is science behind it:
the buttered peanut’s high viscosity
slows down all functions
will maintain me on this orb
for generations longer than you mere folk.

I shall deliver fresh PB&J to your grave sites
as I live forever
in all my glorious goodness.
And you could join me
on my health regime
but I can see
that you do not believe.

I do not mind.
There is only room for the chosen few
on this special smooth barge I ride.
If you are not prepared
for my voyage of a lifetime
then I’m better off alone.

Though I share my secret,
you’ll only partake
if you have the particular craving.

Posted in 30-30, Inspired by, Jill | Leave a comment

April Ghoul

APRIL GHOUL

This is the wrong time
for this sort of thing.
The days are getting longer,
the skies are getting brighter
and sensibilities, too.

We’re all starting to see
the sunnier sides:
the happier things,
like love, flowers
and, inexplicably, eggs.

So why, in the time of this season,
do I spy
the discorporeal eye
of she whom I haven’t seen
in so long?
It couldn’t be her;
she died years back
but before me
she reminds me
of what
I’d hoped to have forgotten
by now.

There should be no ghosts now!
That is so Autumn
so five months ago…

Trailing my memories
deconstructing my past
reminding me effortlessly
invoking the essence of another season,
she stays with me.
Despite the years,
she haunts me still.

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Three… Two…

THREE… TWO…

It’s gonna change,
it’s gonna turn.
It’s gonna transform
magically
from one thing
into another.
It has to.
It must.

This current state
cannot last.
We have been in this strata
far too long
and cannot countenance
a continuance.
We gotta get outta here.
We’ve got to change the terms.
We have to insist
on new conditions.

I can’t even tell you
how we’ll do it
I just know
I can see
that it’s going to occur
and soon.

We can’t allow it
to remain like this
for any longer.

A change is gonna come,
it’s blowing in the wind.
Ain’t no stopping us  now.
We got the beat.

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Impress You

My name is Jon Berger, and I’d like to impress you.
My name is Jon Berger, and I think you’re cute.
My name is Jon Berger, and I’m a poet.
My name is Jon Berger, and I’m a genius!
My name is Jon Berger, and I’d like to get to know you better.
My name is Jon Berger, and I used to put out this fanzine, and,
we didn’t have a particularly large circulation,
but the four or five people who read it thought it was really good.

My name is Jon Berger, and I’m bald by choice, not necessity.
My name is Jon Berger, and I think I can dance.
My name is Jon Berger, and my shoe size is thirteen.
No. Fourteen… and a half!
My name is Jon Berger, and I don’t know what to say to get your attention,
but I really want to
– and that’s GOTTA count for something, right?

My name is Jon Berger, and I’d like to buy you flowers.
My name is Jon Berger, and I have a job!
My name is Jon Berger, and I don’t live with my mother
My name is Jon Berger, and I think babies are cool.
My name is Jon Berger, and I can make french toast – two different ways!

My name is Jon Berger, and my aunt says I’m neat.
My name is Jon Berger, and I’m not afraid of commitment
My name is Jon Berger, and I’m not your ex-boyfriend
My name is Jon Berger, and my stomach is tied up in knots
trying to think of what to say to you:
I want to say the right thing, the special thing that will impress you,
and maybe introducing myself so quickly, so readily
was a bad start, and I should play harder-to-get,
but that’s not honest and, and it’s not effective and, anyhow,
I could really use some help, so if you want to give me a clue
as to what I can do to impress you, I’d really appreciate it.
Our grandkids would really appreciate it.
My autobiographer would really appreciate,
and maybe – MAYBE – you would too.

My name is Jon Berger, and and and I’d like to see you again,
like tomorrow, and the next morning, and, and, and…
Hi. My name is Jon.

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