[New-Poetry] A. J. Kennedy Poem in Free Lunch

[Michael Snider]

I want to be X J Kennedy when I grow up. I've loved his poems for
years - "First Confession" ends

Where Sunday in seraphic light
I knelt, as full of grace as most,
And stuck my tongue out at the priest:
A fresh roost for the Holy Ghost.



That's after bribing his girl to pee, "That I might spy her instruments."

On Sat, May 9, 2009 at 10:07 PM, Bob Grumman <bobgrumman at nut-n-but.net> wrote:
> I've been getting copies of Free Lunch for years.  It's a magazine going out
> free to anyone editor Ron Offen considers a serious poet, which could be
> anyone since it includes me.  The latest issue includes quite a few pretty
> good poems, many from name poets like Dick Allen, Billy Collins, David
> Wagoner, Ron Koertge, Lyn Lifshin and X. J. Kennedy.  Whether you like their
> poems or not, seems to me they should be commended for contributing to Free
> Lunch.
>
> Kennedy's poem, though conventional (as are all the poems in Free Lunch), is
> right up my alley.  I quote it as a follow-up to Sam's hilarious two bad
> poems.
>
> ADVICE FROM A PRO
>
> "In poetry it's gravity
> Knocks 'em dead," said Mimi Kavity
> In the Kaiserplatz Cafe
> As the waiter ran out
> To fetch more Guinness stout.
> "Take my Rehearsal of Cormorants,
> Been good for five grants.
> You screwed up bad, you dork,"
> (Stabbing with fork
> Her truffle salad)
> "Writing that silly ballad.
> These are serious days
> And it's seriousness that pays.
> Now there's my 'Abortion
> In the Deep Freeze'--
> Has a marvelous start:
> 'Hunched in your plastic bag,
> You have my eyes, I see.'
> Jeez Christmas now, that's art.
> Be important.  Speak
> To Everyslob.  Technique
> Went out with Tennyson.  Why polish?
> That's artsy-fartsy.  Keep it rough,
> Keep telling how it's tough
> To be human.  And screw rhyme.
> Who's got time?
> Whatever you do
> No epigrams, no
> Light stuff.  Plenty of sensual words
> Like blood, shit, tits, turds.
> Throw in heavy themes
> And write, write, write reams.
> The future can figure out which
> To keep or ditch."
> She gave a shout,
> "Herr Ober!
> Where's that fucking stout!"
>
> --Bob
>
> I vowed to make my work intensely sober.
>
>
>
>
>
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