—Poetry by Michael Pollentine,
Newport, S. Wales, United Kingdom
—Photos Courtesy of Public Domain
GUTTER
On my street
Outside
The law firm
Sits
A constant
Obtuse
And belligerent
Aston Martin
With parking sticker
Fresh each day
Occasionally
A McLaren too
Again with sticker
The shame of which
Costs nothing
A hundred steps beyond
A homeless man
Parked politely
Outside Tesco’s
Where sometimes
A scarfed woman
Offers The Big Issue
Through scattered English
And gentle smiles
On my street
Outside
The law firm
Sits
A constant
Obtuse
And belligerent
Aston Martin
With parking sticker
Fresh each day
Occasionally
A McLaren too
Again with sticker
The shame of which
Costs nothing
A hundred steps beyond
A homeless man
Parked politely
Outside Tesco’s
Where sometimes
A scarfed woman
Offers The Big Issue
Through scattered English
And gentle smiles
NARC
A toy
To fill time
Years
Before clarity
Thought I was
Unique…
Joke
Every hand, heart,
And dick
A stepping-stone
To the next stage
Of your insect
Cycle
Someone right now is
Caught
In the pheromone explosion
And hates the shadows
Of your past
For you…
Fool
Soon you will soak up
Their drool
And eat out
Their eyes
Leave their body
A husk
Coated in residue of
Blame
As they become the
Shadow
That scares
And you seek out
Another’s light
To hide…
A toy
To fill time
Years
Before clarity
Thought I was
Unique…
Joke
Every hand, heart,
And dick
A stepping-stone
To the next stage
Of your insect
Cycle
Someone right now is
Caught
In the pheromone explosion
And hates the shadows
Of your past
For you…
Fool
Soon you will soak up
Their drool
And eat out
Their eyes
Leave their body
A husk
Coated in residue of
Blame
As they become the
Shadow
That scares
And you seek out
Another’s light
To hide…
FOR LOUISE
I like to think
At the top of the stairs
You sat down
Sighed a gentle release
Probably
Clutched your lungs
And clawed
In endless
Momentary agony
Bluntly
Carried the news
Like a vibration
Of upside-down static
At your funeral
I wondered how
Big your coffin would be
Nearly morbidly obese
And so sweet
I wondered who
Would draw straw to carry
Your wicker basket
Waiting for everyone
I still feel your gentle lips
Your way with clothes
And compliments
Your ‘buddy’
Was adamant I be there
Then blanked me
I watched friends political
And your stepfather speak
Beautifully
A few drinks in a local
To honour
That’s now
Long gone
The wicker grave
Long decayed
And spread into the earth
Just how you wanted
And I still see
Your sprinkled eyes
Before illness crept in
And moved you
You hated me
Your friend
At my worst
An addled mess
But cleaned up
For our last time
And you’d be gone
By the next time
I was untidy
I like to think
At the top of the stairs
You sat down
Sighed a gentle release
Probably
I like to think
At the top of the stairs
You sat down
Sighed a gentle release
Probably
Clutched your lungs
And clawed
In endless
Momentary agony
Bluntly
Carried the news
Like a vibration
Of upside-down static
At your funeral
I wondered how
Big your coffin would be
Nearly morbidly obese
And so sweet
I wondered who
Would draw straw to carry
Your wicker basket
Waiting for everyone
I still feel your gentle lips
Your way with clothes
And compliments
Your ‘buddy’
Was adamant I be there
Then blanked me
I watched friends political
And your stepfather speak
Beautifully
A few drinks in a local
To honour
That’s now
Long gone
The wicker grave
Long decayed
And spread into the earth
Just how you wanted
And I still see
Your sprinkled eyes
Before illness crept in
And moved you
You hated me
Your friend
At my worst
An addled mess
But cleaned up
For our last time
And you’d be gone
By the next time
I was untidy
I like to think
At the top of the stairs
You sat down
Sighed a gentle release
Probably
SHUTOUT
You held her
Hostage
In the toilet
At a party
Captivated with
Bullshit
Ruined
Self-absorbed
Still
I fucked you both
You held her
Hostage
In the toilet
At a party
Captivated with
Bullshit
Ruined
Self-absorbed
Still
I fucked you both
FOR JUSTIN
Saw your memorial garden
The other day
Football
Memories stuck
Young
Shared treats
Too kind for tricks
At the top of the hill
Brothers
Turned back
Waved
You on
To be killed by a car
Felt
30 years pass
Not forgotten
Though living move on
In that moment
Our friendship existed
And belonged to a night
Of togetherness
Until you were taken by a car
___________________
Today’s LittleNip:
May your feet ever walk in the light of two suns... and may the moonshadow never fall on you...
―Robert Fanney
___________________
Another Welsh writer joins us for the first time today! He writes: “My name is Michael Pollentine, and I am from Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom. I am a neurodiverse writer who has had poetry featured in Outcast Press Magazine (Vol. 9, where it also won Best Poem), Bristol Noir, Terror House Magazine, The Beatnik Cowboy, Down in the Dirt Magazine, and Literary Yard e-Journal. I also have poetry forthcoming in A Thin Slice of Anxiety, The Gorko Gazette, Bear Creek Gazette, Roi Fainéant Press and Alien Buddha Press Zine (and their Best of 2022 Anthology).
Saw your memorial garden
The other day
Football
Memories stuck
Young
Shared treats
Too kind for tricks
At the top of the hill
Brothers
Turned back
Waved
You on
To be killed by a car
Felt
30 years pass
Not forgotten
Though living move on
In that moment
Our friendship existed
And belonged to a night
Of togetherness
Until you were taken by a car
___________________
Today’s LittleNip:
May your feet ever walk in the light of two suns... and may the moonshadow never fall on you...
―Robert Fanney
___________________
Another Welsh writer joins us for the first time today! He writes: “My name is Michael Pollentine, and I am from Newport, South Wales, United Kingdom. I am a neurodiverse writer who has had poetry featured in Outcast Press Magazine (Vol. 9, where it also won Best Poem), Bristol Noir, Terror House Magazine, The Beatnik Cowboy, Down in the Dirt Magazine, and Literary Yard e-Journal. I also have poetry forthcoming in A Thin Slice of Anxiety, The Gorko Gazette, Bear Creek Gazette, Roi Fainéant Press and Alien Buddha Press Zine (and their Best of 2022 Anthology).
“In addition, I have had short stories published in Gwyllion Magazine, Scarlet Leaf Review, and the Thuggish Itch: By the Seaside anthology. My short story, “A Definite Halo Deficiency”, was featured in Planet Bizarro Press’s Peculiar Monstrosities collection. I also have a short story forthcoming in the Gypsum Sound Tales Invitational Anthology.” Welcome to the Kitchen, Michael, and don’t be a stranger!
_____________________
—Medusa
Michael Pollentine
For upcoming poetry events in
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
in the links at the top of this page.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
Northern California and otherwheres,
click on
UPCOMING NORCAL EVENTS
in the links at the top of this page.
Photos in this column can be enlarged by
clicking on them once, then clicking on the x
in the top right corner to come back to Medusa.
Would you like to be a SnakePal?
All you have to do is send poetry and/or
photos and artwork to
kathykieth@hotmail.com. We post
work from all over the world—including
that which was previously published—
and collaborations are welcome.
Just remember:
the snakes of Medusa are always hungry—
for poetry, of course!
