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but is it art?

by Gabriel Ricard

Blood works well with the money
that shows up on a Tuesday.
Just a little too close to the time
when things have just gotten to where the frying pan
looks brand-new from where you stand in the fire.

Chocolate goes nicely with bourbon,
and the black-jacket voice from up from north
can narrate any footage of the bride
making sure there’s cocaine, pins and needles
in the cake before she feeds it
to the wealthiest former mayor in the new hall of fame.

It’s okay.
They’ll probably have children
who might grow up to know better
than to drive until the wheels leave the clouds.

Or they’ll just be librarians
who never know what it’s like
to get dust in their eyes.

There might still be room for love in ten years.
You can ask her why she changed
the color of her eyes while you were sleeping.
You can read too much into how the books
she quotes before slamming you against the wall.

Clap your hands.
Learn the heart of just one song on the piano.
Bite your tongue.
Pick a fight with that Peter Pan type rocking in the free world.
Clap your hands.
Be wary of people who keep salt shakers in their pocket.
Close your eyes.
They’re not funny after you get to know them.

Clap your hands.
Or don’t. Just invite yourself to the party,
tell the host that you’re through
with looking like an idiot for free,
and hope you don’t miss out on anything.

You might. You might be a bastard,
and still make your new dreams come true.
It’s a rush to play a game we built
when we were much smarter children.

You can pretend to be a humanist,
and still find the best afterlife coupons can buy.

Some Casanova from Smithfield robbed a bank one time
without ever understanding why.

He was on his way to buy cigarettes, they say.

Just do what feels right,
but make sure someone’s there
after hours to hear the story.

Or you’ll just want to push all kinds of luck
that wasn’t even yours to begin with.



02/08/2012

Posted on 02/09/2012
Copyright © 2024 Gabriel Ricard

Member Comments on this Poem
Posted by George Hoerner on 02/09/12 at 01:38 AM

I liked it guy. The part about 'the best afterlife coupons can buy.' reminds about the way I used to kid my older sister after her 4th 14th or 40th child, I've never been able to keep it straight. I told here she was having kids and saving something like S&H to get into heaven. She didn't appreciate it. I on the other hand new where I would end up the day I was born. So I said 'what the heck'. Take care.

Posted by Ken Harnisch on 02/09/12 at 01:52 PM

I'm with George, Gabriel. That line about the afterlife strikes such a true chord and resonates with so many throughout my life I just may make a sampler out of it and hang it on this wall!

Posted by Joe Cramer on 02/09/12 at 04:12 PM

... so very excellent.....

Posted by Gregory R Schelske on 02/12/12 at 06:23 AM

As always, made my day. Thanks for sharing, brother.

Posted by Philip F De Pinto on 02/12/12 at 01:24 PM

another splendid effort, Gabriel and isn't it ironic and isn't it the truth, that we should all find ourselves in the process of robbing, sticking, holding up something or other of a kind when our only intention was to purchase some butts?

Posted by Brian Roberts on 02/13/12 at 02:05 PM

I was rattled a bit by the stark lines, "You can pretend to be a humanist/and still find the best afterlife coupons can buy"; this strikes me like an aphorism, a sort of Neo-Nietzsche wisdom. Sartre being my philosophical idol, and sort of the founder of existentialism and thus 20th century humanism(I'm certain you know that, however), it speaks of his "bad faith" by which so many of us live by-inauthentically- so it resonated with me. Excellent poem and a consummate critique on modern man.

Posted by Chris Sorrenti on 02/13/12 at 05:19 PM

Pretty good Gabriel. Catchy title. I especially like how this picks up in S6, and doesn't stop till the end, although the chocolate and bourbon (goes good with beer also) and frying pan references really get it started.

Posted by Kara Hayostek on 03/04/12 at 10:01 PM

Wow, this was worth reading twice, lots of funny lines, and so true, the stanza before the last...lol facebiook it!

Posted by Morgan D Hafele on 03/04/12 at 10:42 PM

well the unlucky have to push that kind of luck anyway. to bad i was never any good at gambling.

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