I was never one to write about sunsets or birds,
to be honest that shit bores me to distraction.
I live in Manhattan so I haven’t seen a sunset
in three hundred & sixty five days, and birds here,
well they're just another pest to be controlled.
I never really liked to listen to sweet ballads
and there’s something pathetic about the blues.
I prefer the hard rocking sounds of Hindi profanity
sung by cab drivers, the tune of droning car horns
and the distant wail of another siren’s song of ending.
I never got much pleasure from hiking or picnics
and I have no real desire to get back to nature.
I’d rather choke down a cart hot dog for breakfast,
avoid piss puddles on the subway platform
and hide behind Ray-Bans and an eighty gig iPod.
I never understood the fascination with beauty
or people’ neurotic obsession with falling in love.
I’ve seen a lot of well groomed hair and make up jobs
and have had the shit kicked out of me more than once,
but beauty is a rocks glass, love is a generous bartender,
and the poetry is between the first sip and "hit me again".
SMG
*(Re-printed from The (&) Ampersand III)
Posts
19 comments:
Man, this is simply great stuff.
A poet's poem in more than one way. Your words and images mesh to cityscape and as you scorn beauty you make it. A paradox indeed. Gay
tight...we each have our own eye for life and what beautiful...some wonderful word play and imagery through out...the dogs down by camden yards are the best...hitme again...
I don't know Brian my guy at 56th and 7th Ave makes a mean spicy sausage with mustard!
Mesmeric writing, you don't need to write about nature or birds. Just write like you and you won't go far wrong.
one of my favorite lines - '...and the poetry is between the first sip and "hit me again"'
You have a unique voice that I enjoy.
Read this straight through three times and loved it. The flow is effortless, the juxtapositioning of images very effective throughout. I'm buying what you're selling here, hot dogs and all.
Its a great one shot.. I enjoyed it very much..
ॐ नमः शिवाय
Om Namah Shivaya
http://shadowdancingwithmind.blogspot.com/2011/02/whispers-tanka-and-search-for-being.html
Connect with me at Twitter @VerseEveryDay
I agree with Beachanny that you find angles of all the poetic inroads you disparage in the cityscape -- sharp, cool ones, all part of the big night music of the urban(e). It's loud and proud like a Bollywood dance number.
This is just damn cool!
Despite your words I find myself actually a little jealous of your world. Beauty found in the most unusual places.
great write steven...i'm much of a hiking and sunset person...but what you paint here sounds damn real, honest and attractive.. was never in New York but if i visit, i will think of this poem when i avoid the piss puddles on the subway platform...
I hate cities--grew up in the Windy One and left it as soon as I could--but I never fail to enjoy your acerbic vignettes of the quintessential city, and I'd say there's a lot of falling in love going on in there somewhere.
This is awesome! "I prefer the hard rocking sounds of Hindi profanity sung by cab drivers"
Awesome poem! I'd love to spend some time in New York as a visitor, but could never live there (for many of the exact reasons you love it, LOL). You convey the beauty of NY well and I think anyone anywhere can relate to the final lines... but beauty is a rocks glass, love is a generous bartender, and the poetry is between the first sip and "hit me again"... damn straight dude. :)
My One Shot: Real Life Superheroes
love the savvy..
nice writing...I used to love all of that noise because it would drown out the noise going on between my ears. I like your style because it is different and honest and I can relate.
beauty is a rocks glass, indeed.
This has always been one of my favorites
Post a Comment