that the reason i’m not dead yet is a profound fear of having no audience on the other side.

even your silence is a kind of prayer.

— Apache proverb

he announces
that he prefers bourbon
to a kiss

says he’s sure he’s had his last kiss
and the sting of whiskey is better
than a bruised lip

besides
“whiskey” sounds almost like a kiss
if you say it fast

if you kiss fast and do not let it linger
the way a bourbon lingers
you can fool yourself for a long time

he confides to the bartender
who is trying to pull away
that he does miss

a first kiss — can’t recall
what it’s like to kiss someone
the first time

the way he can’t recall
his first whiskey
but he keeps trying

and drink up he says
to the rest of the bar
drink up

someone should give me a kiss
for old time’s sake
someone should kiss me

for all the booze i’ve bought here
for all these years
drink up and i’ll tell you another one

I
I
I
I
I

ever get the feeling that you’ve been cheated?

I
I
I
I
I

(one line that amounted to nothing)

I
I
I
I
I

I still want to be anarchy

I
I
I
I
I

I’ll do it my way

I’ve got this CrimeThinc Collective book sitting next to the bed
with a title that keeps running thru my head: “Days of War, Nights of Love.”

I have never been a pacifist
but I feel a true war boiling
in my hands tonight

I am learning to shoot
to load bottles with fire
to slip around unnoticed

but when will I learn to love?

I have no true love for the tribe I’m in
I have no faith in the people

I fight because it’s right
not because I care that much
for their pain

when will I learn to love the way
the fighters who survive the war do —
passionately, reaching for their companions
in the face of boredom and disgrace

and stopping to honor them
imperfect
rare and sloppy from living

when will I learn that love
is something I should give
even when I do not feel
it’s been earned

I know revenge
and now I must learn something
of hope

i just woke up in a cold sweat.

is everyone ok?

is everything ok? beyond the current and obvious world situation, i mean?

Katrina.
Rehnquist.

I’ll lay odds on a terrorist incident. Full on martial law to follow.

**********************************************

In the meantime: Tony’s poetry marathon continues to grow.

9/11 — 3 shows in one day.

At 12: in Boston at The Rack for a quick set as part of a commemorative music/poetry show. Possibly with Regie Gibson, definitely with Patty Keough. Details to follow.

At 3: in Middleboro MA at the Herring Run Arts Fest with a group set.

At 7:30: in Worcester at the Hut for a full scale feature.

I’m going to try not to repeat anything, for those of you who feel like making the tour with me… 🙂

Free speech for the new millenium while we can…

T

1.
can someone confirm that emily kagan is indeed the feature at the hut tomorrow night? i was under the impression that she couldn’t make it and that caroline harvey was the feature.

2.
thought i would post this oldie for the moment we’re in.

it’s a good several years old, so keep in mind it’s not in my current style.

Talking To My Son About the Darkness

do not start any day with the words,
I recall.
do not, late at night, lean
toward poignancy.

to be blunt, if you can’t avoid these
two things, you
shouldn’t be talking at all,
not yet.
it’s not a good use of your time
to ponder and reflect.

not yet.
you’d be better off if you would just
strip off your old clothes,
open the front door
run into traffic, and
die
out there.

come back as a blowtorch
and build something for a change,
instead of always describing
the potential for a splendid new everything,
living
your moment
as a welder lives it:
all sparks and grit
and beaded wounds
healing before you.

keep it all to yourself
until you’ve got something
worth saying.