Sunrise over Pittsburgh
—Anonymous Photo
STALIN’S MOUSTACHE
—Michael Marrotti, Pittsburgh, PA
If Pittsburgh
wore a moustache
it would be a replica
of Joseph Stalin's
If Pittsburgh
had nice things
to say in general
it would tell me
to shut the fuck up
about it
Only missionary
penetration here
in Pittsburgh
I'm surprised
sodomy still isn't
a crime of passion
If you're expecting
liberalism in this
so-called blue state
discard it as propaganda
the free spirits’ have
a tendency to face
relentless persecution
It's the city
I hate to love
my birthright
the place that gave me
my lovely children
Till death do us part
well I'm still waiting
for a few in-laws to go
before I emigrate
to the west coast
for what could be
further disappointment
___________________
CIVIL WAR COMING SOON!
If Pittsburgh
wore a moustache
it would be a replica
of Joseph Stalin's
If Pittsburgh
had nice things
to say in general
it would tell me
to shut the fuck up
about it
Only missionary
penetration here
in Pittsburgh
I'm surprised
sodomy still isn't
a crime of passion
If you're expecting
liberalism in this
so-called blue state
discard it as propaganda
the free spirits’ have
a tendency to face
relentless persecution
It's the city
I hate to love
my birthright
the place that gave me
my lovely children
Till death do us part
well I'm still waiting
for a few in-laws to go
before I emigrate
to the west coast
for what could be
further disappointment
___________________
CIVIL WAR COMING SOON!
—Michael Marrotti
Empty Suboxone
packets litter
the clean streets
from the suburbs
to the city
there's a lack of
independence
Worker bees
in cheap suits
driving cars
they can't afford
race to the red light
already late
for another shift
of servitude
Soccer moms
on Adderall
need an extra boost
to keep up with
the exuberance
of a new generation
There's a line
of homeless men
at the Light Of Life
Rescue Mission
starving for a meal
I'm the only volunteer
on duty this evening
I keep hearing
and reading
about the inevitability
of this civil war
when I'm serving
plates of food
to the homeless
but can't find time
enough to eat
Empty Suboxone
packets litter
the clean streets
from the suburbs
to the city
there's a lack of
independence
Worker bees
in cheap suits
driving cars
they can't afford
race to the red light
already late
for another shift
of servitude
Soccer moms
on Adderall
need an extra boost
to keep up with
the exuberance
of a new generation
There's a line
of homeless men
at the Light Of Life
Rescue Mission
starving for a meal
I'm the only volunteer
on duty this evening
I keep hearing
and reading
about the inevitability
of this civil war
when I'm serving
plates of food
to the homeless
but can't find time
enough to eat
Carnegie Museum & Library, Pittsburgh
—Anonymous Photo
A SOCIAL UTOPIA
—Michael Marrotti
They want free
universal
health care
as do I
An individual
bathroom
for everyone
even your pet
A viable wage
the eradication
of poverty
Smiles on
the faces of
all human beings
A social utopia
where everyone
is holding hands
Free drugs for all
and free eBooks
that collect
digital dust
on the internet
Since a world
free of suffering
makes for a
literary genre
that's accustomed
to bad writing
___________________
NEO-LIBERALISM, NO WAY
They want free
universal
health care
as do I
An individual
bathroom
for everyone
even your pet
A viable wage
the eradication
of poverty
Smiles on
the faces of
all human beings
A social utopia
where everyone
is holding hands
Free drugs for all
and free eBooks
that collect
digital dust
on the internet
Since a world
free of suffering
makes for a
literary genre
that's accustomed
to bad writing
___________________
NEO-LIBERALISM, NO WAY
—Michael Marrotti
You won't find me
leaning to the left
inflicted with guilt
self-loathing
on my free time
ashamed of the
color of my skin
I'm not the man
who'll endorse
exclusion of
any race or gender
It's all about
free thinking
solidarity over
separation
Points will be made
some sharp as a knife
I'm not here to draw blood
my time is to be spent
like a charitable event
Pride is not a sin
when used to benefit
the lives of the
less fortunate
motivated by compulsion
society is all talk
I'm through with
conversation
You won't find me
leaning to the left
inflicted with guilt
self-loathing
on my free time
ashamed of the
color of my skin
I'm not the man
who'll endorse
exclusion of
any race or gender
It's all about
free thinking
solidarity over
separation
Points will be made
some sharp as a knife
I'm not here to draw blood
my time is to be spent
like a charitable event
Pride is not a sin
when used to benefit
the lives of the
less fortunate
motivated by compulsion
society is all talk
I'm through with
conversation
Kennywood, W. Mifflin, PA
—Anonymous Photo
a love that wasn't much love
—Linda M. Crate, Meadville, PA
the fence isn't much of a fence
leaning and frail like
the one-sided love i endured
whilst you gave me lust,
and the cats crawled underneath
the fence with ease;
just as you slipped into her veins
with ease when you were
meant to be
with me—
i always think the first hard spring's rain
will always wash the fence away,
but still she stands
stronger than she seems
like me
who you left for dead
buried in the snow,
and i never wanted to believe wolves could turn
on you but you gave into the wild of your
instincts and devoured away all emotion
forgetting your heart or what it
was used for
letting every cat of lust, envy, deceit, and treachery
with the kittens of wrath and sloth slip in
to the party.
____________________
life & death
the fence isn't much of a fence
leaning and frail like
the one-sided love i endured
whilst you gave me lust,
and the cats crawled underneath
the fence with ease;
just as you slipped into her veins
with ease when you were
meant to be
with me—
i always think the first hard spring's rain
will always wash the fence away,
but still she stands
stronger than she seems
like me
who you left for dead
buried in the snow,
and i never wanted to believe wolves could turn
on you but you gave into the wild of your
instincts and devoured away all emotion
forgetting your heart or what it
was used for
letting every cat of lust, envy, deceit, and treachery
with the kittens of wrath and sloth slip in
to the party.
____________________
life & death
—Linda M. Crate
when i thought of you
my body tensed
ready
for the feel of your hands
upon me,
ready to be uprooted
from myself
to become one with you;
break my own ribs
open
and tumble into
the circumference of your eyes
a pale blue day with pale
yellow sun
a dawn to singe away the crooked
edges of night that nestled
into the grey
of us—
i brought the flames
and you the snow
i gave love and you gave distance,
and i thought our sacred
dance could last forever because opposites
sometimes attract;
but life could never tango with death
forever.
when i thought of you
my body tensed
ready
for the feel of your hands
upon me,
ready to be uprooted
from myself
to become one with you;
break my own ribs
open
and tumble into
the circumference of your eyes
a pale blue day with pale
yellow sun
a dawn to singe away the crooked
edges of night that nestled
into the grey
of us—
i brought the flames
and you the snow
i gave love and you gave distance,
and i thought our sacred
dance could last forever because opposites
sometimes attract;
but life could never tango with death
forever.
Commercial Street Bridge in the Snow, Pittsburgh
—Anonymous Photo
black-hearted wolf
—Linda M. Crate
you can't decide
that you didn't hurt me
simply because you
insisted we'd be
strangers,
and you can't estrange yourself
from the truth that you're
a narcissistic monster always looking
for the next best thing
so don't tell me she completes you
or that you don't love me
because i don't believe anything true or false
that leaves your lips;
it's what happens when you're a liar—
hope you're happy that i'll always
second-guess everything you ever said to me,
and that i'll never believe you loved me after
everything you put me through;
what if i say no we can't be strangers? what then?
because strangers don't have this type of history
we are ghosts and you need to stop haunting me
because i don't think it's fair i should
remember when you spend all your time
forgetting;
i sacrificed everything for you but you never gave
me anything of you or your black heart.
___________________
maybe it's just spiteful
you can't decide
that you didn't hurt me
simply because you
insisted we'd be
strangers,
and you can't estrange yourself
from the truth that you're
a narcissistic monster always looking
for the next best thing
so don't tell me she completes you
or that you don't love me
because i don't believe anything true or false
that leaves your lips;
it's what happens when you're a liar—
hope you're happy that i'll always
second-guess everything you ever said to me,
and that i'll never believe you loved me after
everything you put me through;
what if i say no we can't be strangers? what then?
because strangers don't have this type of history
we are ghosts and you need to stop haunting me
because i don't think it's fair i should
remember when you spend all your time
forgetting;
i sacrificed everything for you but you never gave
me anything of you or your black heart.
___________________
maybe it's just spiteful
—Linda M. Crate
i am summer's child
so let me burn
away all
this snow in your soul
for every word you
refused me
saying
because i deserved better
than this,
and i hope you know
i will never be the same thanks
to all you have done;
hope that burns you awake
at night—
you were winter,
but all your diamonds were
frauds just like all
your promises of love;
and i allowed you to take all my
flowers and gave you my naked soul
simply to be left behind
as if i were
some shadow of longing and regret
you didn't want to remember—
i remember your grandfather
saying that he hoped you'd marry me,
but you didn't;
i want you to know you failed more than me
even if it's simply spiteful.
i am summer's child
so let me burn
away all
this snow in your soul
for every word you
refused me
saying
because i deserved better
than this,
and i hope you know
i will never be the same thanks
to all you have done;
hope that burns you awake
at night—
you were winter,
but all your diamonds were
frauds just like all
your promises of love;
and i allowed you to take all my
flowers and gave you my naked soul
simply to be left behind
as if i were
some shadow of longing and regret
you didn't want to remember—
i remember your grandfather
saying that he hoped you'd marry me,
but you didn't;
i want you to know you failed more than me
even if it's simply spiteful.
Nighttime Pittsburgh
—Anonymous Photo
i won't dance for you
—Linda M. Crate
no longer
will i be your grave
to let you fill me with your
want and desire
i will strangle the stars in your eyes
should you come into
conference with me
again
because i told you once, twice, and more than
three times that we are no longer
friends;
your desperation only repulses me
pushed too hard now our friendship is nothing
but ruins
not even flowers grow here
there are only scorpions and ravens
both here for the purpose
of murder—
call me medusa, call me harpy, call me bitch
i will not respond to any
call me sinner, call me saint, call me messiah
i will not carry your cross
call me anything at all
i will leave nothing but the void of my voice;
get used to silence
drove me away with your greed, negativity, and
manipulation;
won't be any one's
marionette
so naturally i cut the strings.
_________________
i will always love
no longer
will i be your grave
to let you fill me with your
want and desire
i will strangle the stars in your eyes
should you come into
conference with me
again
because i told you once, twice, and more than
three times that we are no longer
friends;
your desperation only repulses me
pushed too hard now our friendship is nothing
but ruins
not even flowers grow here
there are only scorpions and ravens
both here for the purpose
of murder—
call me medusa, call me harpy, call me bitch
i will not respond to any
call me sinner, call me saint, call me messiah
i will not carry your cross
call me anything at all
i will leave nothing but the void of my voice;
get used to silence
drove me away with your greed, negativity, and
manipulation;
won't be any one's
marionette
so naturally i cut the strings.
_________________
i will always love
—Linda M. Crate
no one ever taught
me how to
let go
only to love
so forgive me if
my strengths are love and compassion
and caring too much for someone
because that's all i know,
and i would rather have a beating heart
than to feel nothing;
always was mocked for my
sensitivity,
but in the end only kindness matters
so don't mistake it for
weakness
valuing human life and diversity
is something i will always
do—
i refuse to allow any man to pull me so low
as to hate him no matter
what they may say or do because i refuse to
allow them that power over me
to change me
i am who i am,
and it's the only person i can be;
so i love intensely and feel intensely and care intensely
which to me is far more beautiful than all the
insincere apathy which abounds
more numerous than spring's flowers or autumn's leaves
in this world.
___________________________
Today’s LittleNip:
Don’t weep, insects—
Lovers, stars themselves,
Must part.
—Kobayashi Issa
___________________________
—Medusa, with thanks to our two Pennsylvanians for sending poems on this December Friday!
Jennifer O’Neill Pickering writes: You have probably heard about the devastating fire at the art collective in Oakland. You can help immediately by giving at www.youcaring.com/search/go?w=oakland%20fire%20victims or www.redcross.org/. You can help again by letting your elected officials know artists of all mediums deserve safe housing and a safe place to create art.
no one ever taught
me how to
let go
only to love
so forgive me if
my strengths are love and compassion
and caring too much for someone
because that's all i know,
and i would rather have a beating heart
than to feel nothing;
always was mocked for my
sensitivity,
but in the end only kindness matters
so don't mistake it for
weakness
valuing human life and diversity
is something i will always
do—
i refuse to allow any man to pull me so low
as to hate him no matter
what they may say or do because i refuse to
allow them that power over me
to change me
i am who i am,
and it's the only person i can be;
so i love intensely and feel intensely and care intensely
which to me is far more beautiful than all the
insincere apathy which abounds
more numerous than spring's flowers or autumn's leaves
in this world.
___________________________
Today’s LittleNip:
Don’t weep, insects—
Lovers, stars themselves,
Must part.
—Kobayashi Issa
___________________________
—Medusa, with thanks to our two Pennsylvanians for sending poems on this December Friday!
Jennifer O’Neill Pickering writes: You have probably heard about the devastating fire at the art collective in Oakland. You can help immediately by giving at www.youcaring.com/search/go?w=oakland%20fire%20victims or www.redcross.org/. You can help again by letting your elected officials know artists of all mediums deserve safe housing and a safe place to create art.
Pittsburgh Bridges
Celebrate Poetry!—and bridges to new poetry friends
who are far away…!
Photos in this column can be enlarged by clicking on them once,
then click on the X in the top right corner to come back
to Medusa.