Poetry by Jonathan Hayes

Five poems
by Jonathan Hayes

Victoria’s Secret and Compact Disc

Stan Lee’s gods and monsters

a Marvel myth
for drugstore comic book kids
on corduroy knees

the Incredible Hulk in purple shorts

[Mr. Bubble Bath]

on the Other bridge – Golden Gate

West Coast style / wacky watermelon

Ginsberg, what is it you got against the
Sir Francis Drake Hotel?

Moloch!

egg rolls and ghost sauce

sticky rice w/ milk and mango

yum like Om
Om like yum

and the glue of their stubbornness held them together

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Hanging Out the Window

Still, in our underwear,
we yell, “murderer!”

at the China man hanging out his window
– next building over from us,

as he knocks the pigeon nest
off his brick window ledge.

Yet, we will support his store
in the morning when I buy

my $1.50 24oz Budweisers,
and you will comment

on how the shelves have dust
and the prices are almost at cost.

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Territory

A black fly buzzing

inside white lampshade
casting a noir shadow.

It leaves warm glow
of circumference

– soars onto desk
and assaults the keyboard.

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The Citrus Frost

will cost California one billion dollars,
and the governor is asking D.C. for help
while migrant workers and their families
have no oranges to pick –

no paycheck this season, amigos.

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Paper Dolls

Your body is white like sand

With Palestinian workers unable to enter the country
the Filipino ladyboy helps the Orthodox Jew do his daily exercise

In which children never played

A paper doll is neither a man nor women, it’s not real, it’s paper

Your eyes are sad and beautiful

The transformation happens in Israel

Like illustrated flowers in a school book

“Here’s what she said to me
Que sera, sera, whatever will be, will be”

Wisps of your hair as it falls

If you want to have fun do what ever you want, don’t be ashamed

Like smoke from Cain’s sacrifice

A feeling inside since five