"There's Nothing Like a Near-Death Experience to Really Wake You Up in the Morning," "The Painter's Lament," and "Blind to the Fact"

There's Nothing Like a Near-Death Experience to Really Wake You Up in the Morning

faulty wiring leading to a 
shocker in the shower stall

hungover falling down a flight of stairs, landing
at the feet of the building manager

 


 

The Painter's Lament

yellow came and told me
paint a dog, find a corner
bodega, steal me some
of them Swisher Sweets, while
red gave me the finger, called
911, kicked me in the shins
and snitched to blue that
I missed curfew, slept in, 
and burned the eggs as
the deflated moon, along
with all the victims of the world
whistled in chorus, Ode to Joy

 


 

Blind to the Fact

I must be
blind to the fact that
I’m mimicking my youth.

my girl used to say,
Don't ever shave!

now I’m vanquished from one-night stands.

all that’s left 
are memories of
the purses I dipped into,
the empty kegs,
the long walk home,
and always some damn cat 
underfoot and 
furious
at my doorstep.

 

 

Jay Passer

Jay Passer, resident and native of San Francisco, has had work in print and online, appear all over the globe since 1988. He is the author of ten chapbooks, a few still available on Amazon.

 

Edited for Unlikely by Jonathan Penton, Editor-in-Chief
Last revised on Sunday, November 12, 2017 - 21:50