June 21, 2009

Poem the Pizza Guy

older now, cognizant of commerce
base and superstructure service
the Poem of back then
rebellious against the sure thing
in everything and why not buy
a big goddamn
university degree, the canon
and all those myths out of fashion

now, Poem’s kids eat plain
cheese with multigrain crust

a different kind of economy, love

the shifts are similar, the structure
of directed apathy or panic, the mandatory
sequel, the media spin on feelings

Poem remembers the bird lady at the door
placing old coins in his palm
one at a time, slowly
reciting the full price intensely
focused hunger

“measures of wealth, well-being . . . “
begins to say something standing at
the corner of ethics and art
but the playoffs are on, jobs
are being cut, there is no time to think
we might be not possible

2 comments:

jstn said...

rebellious back then, hey. only thing thats changed is perhaps the form and structure of that rebellion. great stuff rob. i look forward to reading poems poem in its comprehensiventirety!

Shannon Paley said...

wow, just out for a browse, this was a sneaky one, i really like how it reads.