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
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
9 comments:
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
Kat sent me.
Thinking I'll be back.
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!
wow. nicely done john. dropped over from Kat's place...will be back.
Thanks so much for stopping by Brian!
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!"
Hi Sandra: You're welcome at the party whether late or not! & thanks for your support; very much appreciated.
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.
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.
Post a Comment