the fizz of it all

[constantine]

i let it all drop, i let it merge and pop
the fizz of it all, like champagne
on a tuesday night after the laundromat
life is so demanding
expecting more
after kicking you in the balls
how are you holding up
does your chest still hurt
o realy
maybe you should write a poem
a real poem - not this crap
take this line for instance
it has no redeeming qualities
no reason to exist - filler
fluff n puff
stuff, double stuff
like a fat fucking oreo cookie
yes! that's it!!
that's what you are
a fucking cookie man
a tossaway tommy in search of a mommy
does your chest still hurt
maybe you should see a doctor
did you quit smoking yet
o realy
and here's the kicker
the bitter edge of the lemon wedge
that floats like a bloated jellyfish
in the bottle of long island iced tea
at the supermarket next to o'douls
o'douls is here it's better than beer
now that's poetry brother
it says it all without moving its lips
toss in a little latin
some paté de patois
and feed it to the idiots
of which there are more than enough
if they can't understand it
that means it's good
look at the time invested
the internal revisions
countless trips to the blood bank
o, how i've suffered for the muse
so many muses, so little time
does your chest still hurt
o realy
what do you want from me
what is it that you expect
you want to hear something
you want to be inspired by proxy
you demand more, always more
until i begin to doubt everything
should i delete this piece of shit
or simply let the electrons decide
they have feelings too you know
they are quite capable of turning themselves off
if that is what they truly desire
he's doing it again
he's doing it again
he's done this sort of thing before
these stock phrases that permeate his work
check the archives
in poem # 34 entitled
it looks like a poem but it's not
the author goes off in a direction
that shows promise - a rich vein
begging to be tapped,
but rather than commit himself to legitimate poetic expression
he pulls out and shoots his wad all over the muse's belly
leaving a starchy residue instead of knocking her up
it's the same old story, we see it all the time
when you've been in the business as long as i have
you know the real deal when you see it
and you, my friend, are not
i mean you're my friend and all
but you're not the real deal
but you're still my friend
does your chest still hurt
o realy

[stilltrucking]

if they can't understand it
that means it's good

It is good and
I do want more.

thank you

[constantine]

hi jack. been hard to write as of late -- school has kept me in a state of agitation. i've been doing shorter stuff, but then a friend said i've been doing tossaways and that i should step up my game. this poem was sort of a reply to that. the crit stung because i sort of felt the same way- but i didn't like hearing it from someone other than me! how are you doing? though i haven't been interacting that much, i do want you to know that i check up on your stuff posted - i'm a silent fan, but a fan nonetheless.

[stilltrucking]

the bitter edge of the lemon wedge
that floats like a bloated jellyfish
in the bottle of long island iced tea

that was a kicker for me too


_________
I been reading Walker Percy Love In The Ruins. I read a couple of paragraphs and get so agitated I have to get up and pace. He makes me want to stop writing. How could I ever write like that?

Never write like you either. I am just happy one of us can.

[constantine]

i remember the title, but have never read it. i'll check it out. the chandler quote is killer!