Present-Tense (Cover photo is my own art)

Task set by the amazing Albert Wendt, coming to class again tomorrow! Specifications: 8 or less lined poem, without using "I", base it on present-tense. This is what I came up with.

1) Inhale the death-ridden essence of

chemicalized tobacco and industrialized addiction

sizzling cigarette as it burns, summons

blue and white ribbons into the black and grey sky

hey, this liver sits untouched by ethanol tonight

Die one way or another

die sooner or later but for now, life kicks a*s

exhale.

2) One in the morning, f**k sleep.

But for now, the brain is climaxing and nearing an edge

releasing creative fluids through cool-to-the-touch

fingertips that seduce and play with

the paper, which swallows every drop to the pen's penetration

as the words twitch, shudder and pulsate

to life, then relax to be content

satisfied.

Reviews

[Sonia Aurelio]

trust you to get away with profanity my lovely! hha and Albert was such a sweet heart for not saying it! hhe i respect him so much more, didn't even know that was possible! hha forever going on about penetration and pens release.. breath of fresh new ways of looking at it every time! Love

[Michael G.]

Record the class and send it to me. Sounds like a really fascinating time. I envy you.
Oh, the work is great... either one. The artwork could well impress, also.
good luck!