Sunday, November 15, 2009

Revenge Of The Baby Sax

He's built without fingers with 1 big itch he can't scratch he’s
got 2 dozen nostrils for spite tho, all caterwauling
traffic jams with congested lungs & smoldering noisemakers
squealing Figaro like a pig in revolt

there's nothing but polka dot bow ties anyhow acting like
clouds afloat in a smoke-free office—it's New Year's Eve, baby
pink slip phone message slips snow pinko confetti
betwixt the gray gray raindrops most of them in re:
1 big itch that can't be scratched

but the Baby Sax feels heartache like a pi-
mento skewered at the business end of a dry martini
He's got no heart he wants the angry zen rendition of
      Auld Lang Syne
snort snort—puffing out his honker—that's his job,
he's got 2 dozen nostrils for spite tho, all caterwauling

limos backfiring black plastic bowlers as they career in-
to the Time Machine as tho they tipped off Pier 39 smack in-
to waterlilies, calamari, this morning's coffee scorched to
      a soap opera,
underwear all colors, this sense of worthlessness like a
traffic jam—with congested lungs & smoldering noisemakers

& yesterday's calzones chock full of Caruso recordings exploding
like a pogo-stick with a guilty conscience
like your brain on dope on a rainy night in a phone booth
it's the Baby Sax—his mouth with 1 belligerent tooth
squealing Figaro like a pig in revolt

The party hats have had it, they want their mama: Mama
Skyscraper—her umbrella's the Baby Sax bawling
clock radios jammed with car horns that want to be foghorns
      blaring
monday monday tho it's a ruthless Rossini saturday
built without fingers, with 1 big itch

Jack Hayes © 1990-2009

9 comments:

Kat Mortensen said...

Well, if this is how it's going to be—count me in! Fantabuloso!
I just loved that skewered pimento and the revolting pig and backfiring limos and the whole dang joint!
I'm so excited it's like I just drank a pot of coffee and the adrenalin is boiling over.

I'll be a regular, sitting in the back dark corner just soaking it all in.

Kat

Titus said...

Kat sent me.

Thinking I'll be back.

Unknown said...

Hi Kat& Titus:

Kat: From my days of working as document coder in a downtown San Fran law firm! Glad you're liking this.

Titus: Glad you liked it, & Kat was wonderful to give such a nice boost!

Brian Miller said...

wow. nicely done john. dropped over from Kat's place...will be back.

Unknown said...

Thanks so much for stopping by Brian!

Sandra Leigh said...

Sorry to arrive late for the party, John - I love this poem, the repetition, the fact that it made me read it aloud. Congratulations on your new project - and I'll be here, right beside Kat, poking her with my elbow now and then, stage-whispering "Wow! Did you hear that line? Cool!"

Unknown said...

Hi Sandra: You're welcome at the party whether late or not! & thanks for your support; very much appreciated.

Sheila said...

I was afraid maybe you'd gone off poetry for good so this was a very welcome surprise. Thanks to Kat for pointing the way. I'm not sure how I missed the ticker tape parade and the skywriters announcing the advent of Wine and Roses, but I did. What a great story condensed into the title piece -like pink carnations peddled in the train station like
Shanghai contraband, it was like that
to be young & in love, both wearing sports coats,
& these larger than thought, & with such deep pockets.
This must have been what it was like...
So far, so wonderful.

Unknown said...

Hi Mairi:

Well, the parade wasn't so large! Glad you like this. Of course as you no doubt read, these are old poems, but I do feel quite sure that working with them will go a long way toward stirring my poetical energies.