Two poems by Puma Perl

Two poems
by Puma Perl

The Ava Gardner Museum

Exit 95, Smithfield, North Carolina
Ava Gardner Museum
I wanted to stop,
suddenly seduced by Ava
She was born in Johnston County
youngest of seven children
stunning and green-eyed
that’s how she’s described
I could have gone to the gift shop
Bought an Ava Gardner fan
for a dollar or a museum pin
or paper dolls or posters
of Ava, long eyes under thick brows
Earrings dangling to bare shoulders
Headdresses, tiaras, strapless gowns
Halter tops, wavy hair, velvet gloves
Stunning, green-eyed Ava
I turned longingly
as we drove past the exit
powerless as a child
strapped into a car seat
adolescent fury tore through me
fuck you I whispered
I hate you, I love only Ava

---------------------

saturday morning pick-up

saturday morning early pick-up
young woman with stroller (60 mg)
says ok see ya ma to older one (80 mg)
two men bloated and rubbery (100 mg)
question a taller more dapper one (50 mg)
about his ex-wife and his girlfriend
my daughter asked me: how do you
know everyone’s methadone dosage?
it’s a gift, I answered
like ironing or making good salads

on orchard street a white red haired man
(70 mg, 2 sticks of xanex) sells books,
cd’s, earrings in shapes of giant buttons
he plays a marvelettes song on a radio
perched on a garbage can, hides his beer
in his pocket, dances the monkey
this delights me, I laugh, he smiles
at me or my cleavage, it’s saturday morning
he sold his take-home, he’s high on his hopes

later the rain will chase us all into
incongruous delancy street cafes
broken down subways, jimmy jazz stores
except for a few innocent lovers
running through deserted streets
still believing that the rain is clean
that the day was created just for them

Author bio:

Puma Perl is a poet and writer who believes strongly in the transformative power of the creative arts. Her work has been published in cause & effect, Instant Pussy, The Mom Egg, Brain Box, and other journals and she has been a featured reader in various New York City venues. She is currently at work on her first book, which will be a series of linked poems based on lower east side life in the 1970's and 80’s.