Two Poems by dan smith

 

         

Being

                                                                                                                     

the Assyrian Empire       

took centuries to develop 

and everyone knows it took 

Rome more than a few days 

a few people have heard of Sargon 

although most think it’s some 

powerful new detergent- 

wrapped in our troubles  

we think little of the past  

and less of the future 

as most fail to grasp 

the long game and  

dreams at best fail 

and Sidney Bechet moved 

to Paris ( France ) not Texas 

sticklers for “ The Truth “ 

should probably not be reading this poem 

it’s not government issue 

and it’s not any anti stuff either 

is it about our hearts burning bright 

or the more raging fires next time 

or is it about even having a next time- 

I don’t mind telling you 

it’s cataclysmic  I know 

this is a run-on sentence  

but it’s better than a run-in  

sentence or a reined-in sentence 

I hate those- 

 

Kierkegaard and Sartre  

didn’t know a wet bulb 

from a tulip 

but I know you exist 

my tattooed Walgreens angel 

and I’ve figured it out 

this is a love poem-

Between the Ears


I used to run outside
where you could hear so much-
The trees shouting “ hug me “
and the birds reply “ you’re
so damn needy ”-
Now inside on the treadmill
at the Community college
with the same songs 

over and over 

in almost the same
rotation –
I think how I
used to run outside
and how I never really listened.

dan smith has been widely published in print and on-line in such diverse journals as The Rhysling Anthology, Dwarf Stars, Gas Station Famous, Deep Cleveland Junk Mail Oracle, Jerry Jazz Musician and Lothlorien Poetry Journal to name a few. You can hear some poems from the Matinee Motel CD by dan smith and The Deep Cleveland Trio, if you search the old internet hard enough. His most recent poems can be found at Five Fleas Itchy Poetry and dadakuku.