Rewrite

ADAM AND EVE ON A RAFT, WRECK ‘EM

The cup’s on the counter.
Your lipstick’s on the rim.
The whole day’s shot to hell.
My job and your tumbled papers
swept aside, I sit down
on the corner stool. I used to kiss you
here, and there. We used to make each other
hungry. After us I was not intact
but I was complete as long as
the lipstick stayed in my head
and wasn’t smeared all over.

I take a drink, get
lipstick on the rim of my teeth.
You never used your teeth but
you always let me know
they were there, and now
they are not. I’m left with tears
and left hooks.
I’m counter
help in hell — short order joint, learning to wash the
dishes, make sure all the
stains are gone.

Boss, I’m not up to the job
of dealing with this.
Fire me. I’ll collect
thoughts
for a while.

I’ll never be able to hold this job.
I’m too numb to quit. Boss,
tell me I’m fired.
Tell me to make like an egg and
scramble. Tell me
I’m gone.

About Tony Brown

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A poet with a history in slam, lots of publications; my personal poetry and a little bit of daily life and opinions. Read the page called "About..." for the details. View all posts by Tony Brown

12 responses to “Rewrite

  • princessbebop

    Charlie’s. It’s right on the line between South End and Back Bay. They serve lunch, but mainly breakfast and are open until 1h30 or something… It’s been around for something like 75 years. Great diner food, sit at the counter. 🙂

  • princessbebop

    Charlie’s. It’s right on the line between South End and Back Bay. They serve lunch, but mainly breakfast and are open until 1h30 or something… It’s been around for something like 75 years. Great diner food, sit at the counter. 🙂

  • princessbebop

    Charlie’s. It’s right on the line between South End and Back Bay. They serve lunch, but mainly breakfast and are open until 1h30 or something… It’s been around for something like 75 years. Great diner food, sit at the counter. 🙂

  • princessbebop

    Charlie’s. It’s right on the line between South End and Back Bay. They serve lunch, but mainly breakfast and are open until 1h30 or something… It’s been around for something like 75 years. Great diner food, sit at the counter. 🙂

  • radioactiveart

    Thanks. Which one? It may be in here somehow… 😉

    Probably not. Being from Worcester, ancestral home of the diner, I’ve got lots to choose from around here…and I’ve been in most of them once or twice.

  • radioactiveart

    Thanks. Which one? It may be in here somehow… 😉

    Probably not. Being from Worcester, ancestral home of the diner, I’ve got lots to choose from around here…and I’ve been in most of them once or twice.

  • radioactiveart

    Thanks. Which one? It may be in here somehow… 😉

    Probably not. Being from Worcester, ancestral home of the diner, I’ve got lots to choose from around here…and I’ve been in most of them once or twice.

  • radioactiveart

    Thanks. Which one? It may be in here somehow… 😉

    Probably not. Being from Worcester, ancestral home of the diner, I’ve got lots to choose from around here…and I’ve been in most of them once or twice.

  • princessbebop

    I like. Imagery is great. I can’t get the image of my favorite breakfast place in Back Bay out of my head now.

  • princessbebop

    I like. Imagery is great. I can’t get the image of my favorite breakfast place in Back Bay out of my head now.

  • princessbebop

    I like. Imagery is great. I can’t get the image of my favorite breakfast place in Back Bay out of my head now.

  • princessbebop

    I like. Imagery is great. I can’t get the image of my favorite breakfast place in Back Bay out of my head now.

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