To The Sentimentalist
“your heart’s door. may I come in?”
it’s run down and cold
there is nothing here
but dirty dishes
and old linen cloths
hanging from stained
windows and doors
to keep the onlookers
from peeking in.
“your heart’s door. may I come in?”
oh, there is a madman
in here rummaging through the
corridors
hanging from the ceiling fans
drool hanging from his mouth
spewing out curse words and
love songs
confusing the passers-by.
The Life Of A Writer
I am in bed
and I can hear the boats go by
along the Mississippi.
I ate Raviolis today
and worked a hard 8 hours
for 9.25 at Matassa’s Market.
there are special things
I must take note of:
the 500 dollar computer
my father bought me
out of the blue.
the way the wind has seemed
to carry me along these past
two years.
my health, although, it was failing,
has seemed to come alive again,
not by nursing it, but by hard work
and diligence.
strength through resistance
is often the key to longevity.
I am in bed
and I can hear the boats go by
along the Mississippi.
such a calming sound of life,
not a crowd of chattering zombies,
but something working its way slowly
down a huge stream,
a destination incomplete,
but keeps going, in the silence,
alone:
the life of a writer.
AS I LONG TO AVOID THAT HUGE WRECKING CREW CALLED LOVE
AS I LONG
TO AVOID THAT
HUGE WRECKING CREW
CALLED LOVE
I TAKE THE OTHER SIDE
OF TOWN,
I SHOP AT THE WRONG
SUPERMARKETS
(AVOID THE SPECIALITY SHOPS),
TAKE THE BUS,
NOT MY CAR TO WORK,
EAT THE WRONG FOODS,
THOSE LOADED WITH FATS ARE FINE,
AVOID ALL EXCERISING, DRINK
LOTS OF BEER, ROAM AROUND
HALF-DRUNK WHILE WHISTLING
“DON’T STOP BELIEVIN’”
WHILE
TRYING TO COURT A GIRL
ON THE 7TH FLOOR
OF THE FINANCIAL BUILDING
TRYING TO CASH
A BAD CHECK.
Bio: Mike Meraz is a poet from Los Angeles who currently lives in New Orleans. He is the author of two books of poetry Black-Listed Poems and All Beautiful Things Travel Alone. Both are available at Lulu.com and Amazon.com. He is also the editor of Black-Listed Magazine.
