About the Author: 5 shockingly candid poems about NYC

style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt">1.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Crossing the
Brooklyn Bridge

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I was lost among
tourists sweating

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">and jabbering
their way up the

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">pedestrian
path-

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I had hoped it
would

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">be more deserted, I wanted the hissing

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">silence of background noise in film, I

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">wanted to pass the braided cord

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">supports and have them each go

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">whisssh whisssh whisssh

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">in the vacuum of my
mind-

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class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">instead

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I was pushed into the bike lane

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">by a woman talking about a shoe

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">sale and a cyclist screamed at me:

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">"stay to the
fuckin' right! Jesus!"

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Later, coming
back down retracing

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">my steps I was
confronted with a

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">lumbering pack
of fat Germans lurching

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">their way uphill
spread all over both sides

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">of the path. I wanted to say:

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">"stay to the
fuckin' right! Jesus!"

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">but instead I
just said:

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">"excuse me" in
German

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">and squirted out
the other side of

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">them, a little
more pleased than

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">before for some
reason, as if the

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">contact with
them had scraped

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">some of the
tourist stigma off me

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">for just a
little while.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt">2.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I didn't see one
famous person in three

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">days in The
City, that was reassuring in a

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">way, as I assume those people think they

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">are terribly important, and I don't want
to

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">reinforce this idea, and that's exactly

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">what I would have done, because if

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I HAD seen a famous person, I would

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">have told lots of people about it later-
this

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">is almost a
certainty.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt">3.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">On a park bench
staring at the

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Flatiron
building suddenly

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">the
thought:

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I refuse. I
refuse. I'm going to be the

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Peter Pan of terribleness and

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">beauty. I'm never going to let my

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">mind become lazy. I will never never

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">say: "I don't care." Even if I

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">don't. In this case, like so many

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">others, a lie holds more
compassion

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">in it's cupped
hands than the truth

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">ever could with
its fingers spread

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">so very very
wide.

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt">4.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">it's excessively
important

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">that I write a
novel (with mass appeal)

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">soon, I want to write a novel

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">and I want people to love it

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">and pay for it not only once

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">but buy second and third copies

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">for their families and friends, I

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">want it to be optioned by

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Hollywood and turned into a feature

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">film at some later date starring

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">someone who will get paid

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">lots and lots of money to pile

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">onto his pile of lots and lots

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">of
money-

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class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I want this
because I need lots

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">and lots of
money myself

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">in order to move
to Manhattan

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">in New York
City-

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">In NYC

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I can write Poetry which is what

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">I actually want to write, not

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">novels, people will not pay for

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Poetry and buy second and third

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">copies of Poems for their
family

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">and friends, and Hollywood will

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">not option a poem and turn it

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">into a feature film starring

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">someone who will get paid

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">lots and lots of money to pile

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">onto his pile of lots and lots

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">of
money-

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I want to write
poems in NYC

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">and have lots
and lots of money

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">to buy cool
shoes and go to cool

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">clubs and take
cool people home

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">to my cool loft
and

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class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">be beautiful and
terrible and poetic

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">and the beat
down shining pure

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">and
compassionate King of the

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Sweetness "come to blow up"

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">NYC over and over again: it's

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">not enough that people cry once, it's

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">not enough that people see it

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">once, this art, this gospel will

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">not die, and will not be

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">intimidated, folks need to

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">see it and be thankful, need

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">to see it and tremble, need to

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">love and love and love until they

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">shit themselves with it and can't

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">do anything but

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">Lie on the floor with their

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">dogs, not happy but something

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt">New, something
Instead!

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"> style="mso-spacerun:
yes"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">So you can see
why it's important

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">that I write a
novel (with mass
appeal).

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt">6.

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I went to ground
zero, and was

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">a little too
intimidated to actually

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">go look through
the fence at

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">The Hole, so I
turned around, and

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">there was a
wooden wall- nothing

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">extraordinary,
just part of the usual

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">ephemera
associated with

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">construction
sites, but on it

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">people had
written messages, all

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">kinds of things-
"someone and

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">someone
forever", "someone was

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">here", but the
first one that really

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">caught my eye
said:

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">"remember my
mother"

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">I decided I had
seen enough after

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">that, and walked
the fuck away

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">from
there.

style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size:
12.0pt"> 

class="MsoNormal" style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"> style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">(August
11^th,
2003)