< Volume II: Issue 1 >
Another Persuasion
by Jim Davis
A trip to the art institute is worth the bus fare –
though that’s not it, is it? It certainly is
not the fear of falling. Not rain. It’s the sunlight
fading fast, and there’s only one way to feel
confident at dusk, I haven’t found it. I want to
be a specialist. I want to be a supernova, brighter
than anyone expected and cooking, forming elements
of life and seizure, inside out. Turkey Ruben, cuppa joe,
extending novelties as far as they’ll go.
Remember Smints? Remember Saved
by the Bell? Have you heard of it or do you remember? The air
is becoming stale, smells like train grease and barn dust.
Time to modify my scenery.
I told you I could jump
to that ledge he said, after he did. And then I did. We then
were stuck on the ledge.
Those who hate religion and reference crusades
are afraid they’ll be converted – the conviction of good
catholics is commendable, wide-reaching, all-embracing,
and yes there are bad ones, many, making news and trouble, but
no more than the religion-less. (I have a drawer full of tasteless
birthday cards.) Even art is catholic, at least the good stuff is,
or decidedly non-catholic. Nothing more than the wide-eyed
divine trying desperately to make sense of things.
All the while I have been writing poems inside
matchbook covers. Here’s the most recent, I call it Club Lucky:
Bye Molly!
Buy Phillis.
And since the human trade is nothing to joke about,
I try to stay delinquent. She is used to being stared at
so I don’t look at her at all. That cannot be the way.
Days later, it still isn’t.
It’s only cold in the bed of imaginary lovers.
Arthritic missionaries tend to miss opportunities.
That said, I’ve met some very fine catholics.
I don’t know any communists by title.
There’s no such thing as fear of heights, there is only the fear
of falling, which is legitimate. An important step you’ll have to
note if there’s any hope of understanding my work. Last night was
as important as any, though this morning was worse.
On my gravestone it will say “Undefeated at Midnight
Arm Wrestling on Hoods of Convertible Coupes”
and that will have to be enough.
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