Priorities

This poem
Is for all
The things
I didn’t do
But should have

While I closed bars
Played golf
Woke up late
Practiced
My left - handed hook shot
While rain fell
On a dirt court
I could have studied
The law
Or learned how to
Un - hook a bra

Bad Luck

I put wheels on my easy chair
And a lawnmower motor
And a cup holder
And a car stereo
And drove to the bar.
I had seven beers and three shots of Jagermeister
And a parked car snuck up on me
While I lit a cigar,
I barely scraped it but a cop saw this transpire
And gave me a DUI ticket
And I spent a night in jail
And the State sold my moving easy chair to the highest bidder.

When I Was A Barfly

When I was a barfly

A waitress told me

While I sat at her bar

Chain-smoking Winston's

And nursing a Budweiser

That cheap men have little dicks.

And how do you know that? I asked.

Let's just say it's been my experience, she laughed.

I always thought if you aren't a big shot you should act like an aristocrat.

You must be hung like a horse, she said while she scooped up my debris.

Wouldn't you like to know?

In your dreams, Joe.

My name's Eric, I said.

Driving To Florida

I pulled the Fuzz buster out of the lighter so I could light a cigarette, two minutes later we got pulled. Vince wanted me to pay half of his speeding ticket. I told him it wasn't my fault. Rick woke up and said, what happened? I got a ticket, Vince said. Where are we? Rick asked. We didn't know. You guys are idiots, Rick said, and that may be so but it didn't matter then and it sure doesn't now.

Jackknife Said

the first time i ever killed a man
was the third night i spent in jail-jackknife said
and stuck his gun in my face
i smiled
this isn’t poker son
if it was i’d fold-i said
jackknife laughed-damn right you would
on the other hand-i said
what-jackknife asked
what else am i supposed to do but smile
i have the losing hand no matter what
you got that right kid-jackknife said
and blew a hole in the wall
fuckin’ eh-i thought
now can we get down to business-i asked

Cold Night Wind

sometimes it’s a tracer
a shadow

something you said
a song

or a passage from the bible
makes me sad

i drink to forget

you are strong
i count on
that

i get down on my knees

pray

that if you ever leave
you will take me along

or put a bullet in my head
'cause without you

it’s too damn cold

Intense Heat

On a Tuesday afternoon in Phoenix the sky was dull.

A row of trees on Central Ave. looked tired.

A dog crossed the street.

People were laying on blankets in a parking lot.