two poems

[emchy]

Driving Again:

He was Roberto Benini
in a bad life
and me
I was writing poetry
on my leg
while I drove
again

This was becoming a habit as
my inspiration
was beginning to need
narrow lanes
and heavy traffic

The fast smell
of cheap cigarette smoke
came in like a memory
and smelled like Pat
who did occasionally change brands
but like a chemical reaction
always smelled the same
as if his own
potion of person
made every cigarette
a unique perfume
all his own.

*************************
Ypsilanti, MI to Potrero Hill:

I first saw you
in Ypsilanti Michigan
your bravado swinging
like an ax
through the air

I couldn't take my eyes off of you
except to cruise
the baby dykes
older than me
throwing attitude
like water
in my face

I watched you
from the crowd
of familiar
well known strangers
these cafes and clubs
don't change
anything except the paint job

We cross paths
now
nine years later
with witty banter
a smile or laugh
some spray paint
you don't know how many times we've met

My idea of how to be artist
scares me from you
or used to...

But I'm different now
we
in a way as peers
and I scared myself
in the mirror yesterday

What was a poet
doing in my bathroom?