The Madness of March

Here is a link to my latest you tube poetry reading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNzeVyF51Og

The TV buzzed.

Iowa beat Florida.

Sweet 16 again.

I’ve been a Hawkeye fan

since I could crawl,

back when the floor

felt safer than the world.

March Madness

takes on a lighter tone these days.

Now I sit on a decent couch,

remote in hand,

a fridge that hums with promise

instead of emptiness.

Eating dinner

instead of drinking my meals.

But there were other Marches�"

nights that smelled like wet pavement

and cheap beer,

waiting for the cold to break

or take me with it.

Frozen on a park bench.

In my twenties

we talked about bands

we’d never start,

names like March Hare,

tripping through hallucinogenic

wonderlands

and borrowed time.

Other years

I lived on the street

and didn’t know

March from Groundhog Day.

Some years

I watched the tournament

through the haze of a bottle,

games flickering in bar mirrors

I couldn’t quite focus on.

Neon nightmare

in a liquid haze.

And still�"

when the crowd roars,

when the clock winds down�"

I feel it in my chest,

that old, reckless chaos

I used to mistake for life.

Author's Note

New long-form poetry reading on YouTube—featuring work from Aluminum Cowboys and a sneak peek from Searching for Nod.

Watch:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNzeVyF51Og

Books on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/stores/Thomas-W.-Case/author/B0CL2RKDGX?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_w=xsU45&content

Reviews

[Michael Sun Bear]

We recreate ourselves daily. Some of those days are true milestones, such as the day one stops using hopefully forever. Well written as usual Thomas. I love the last stanza with that pull of memory blooming in the chest and gut to something a little bigger.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[Pete]

cleverly telling. strong, honest writing as usual. this stuck out for me -

back when the floor
felt safer than the world.

time marches on and so must we.

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, Pete.

[Sad Unc Days 3562]

I agree that reckless chaos is life
and I agree that there is a better life than it

To so much I relate, and to so much I don't
my haze is made of sleep, and prescriptions
my chaos is not of my own choosing
yet they persist across lives

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you.

[red93]

Personally I love March Thomas, and my Birthday falls on the World-Famous 'Ides of March' - the 15th. You hit the right notes again with this Piece. Really Excellent ✨️✨️✨️✨️✨️

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, my friend.

[Desert Knave]

Love it. I can barely recall a time when March Madness did not truly stand as a "holiday" in my life (especially when my beloved Arizona Wildcats are a factor). Yeah, also through bottles and other devices of chemical incursion. Anyhow, excellent piece. ~Jim

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, Jim. I appreciate it.

[Soren]

Another lovely write Thomas. Your style is so down to earth and gritty that it breaths and belches. Well done

[Thomas W Case]

Thank you, Soren.

[Soren]

You are most welcome

[John the Baptist]

Those hard drinking, bench sleeping days were bound to leave a mark of some kind. But they are long gone. Let them stay that way.

[Thomas W Case]

Absolutely. Thanks.