Poetry as Talisman

Ratboy got a new cassette
by Marilyn Manson,
a rock group whose members
each chose a super model’s first name
& famous murderer’s last name –
& who claim to have sold their souls
to Satan to be popular
with teenagers

i got the mail
& found a missive
from Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel,
the “biscuits & gravy” poet.

the battle of good over evil rages on
in an unassuming cabin on the edge
of a little town in Kansas

Marilyn Manson rapes the air

i read Wilma’s latest letter
& poetry gems

unscathed

 

there’s synchronicity & then there
are blatant jokes on humanity

after five stints working as typesetter,
in 1995, the Great Bend Daily Tribune
hired me as society editor –
in charge of society pages,
as well as Friday’s church page,
Wednesday’s food page &
the yearly recipe edition.

though i sometimes liked the job,
was somewhat thankful for it,
& working there made publishing
Chiron Review convenient,

i still ponder the serendipity
of them hiring someone
for that job who is an
anti-social, godless heathen
whose greatest culinary talent
is boiling water dry
& not burning toast
two out of five times.

 

Mighty Newspapermen & Free Speech

Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves.
   - Lincoln quote which hung on the Tribune’s newsroom wall
      until news editor removed it in 1995.

publisher’s office, Great Bend Tribune,
Great Bend, KS, Sept.1, 1995

the earth did not stop spinning on its axis, nor
did the earth stop revolving around the sun. the
sun didn’t even fall out of the solar system. but
with just a few curt thoughtless words, the
esteemed, experienced American newspaperman
fumbled & dropped the gauntlet. broke a sacred
trust (not to mention mine). didn’t think about
the words of heroes like Jefferson, Franklin, &
Lincoln. instead he bent the First Amendment
over his desk & fucked it right up the ass.

 

from michael's
new book

cosmic children