The Poetry Marathon

I don’t know why I went back for seconds
I’m always full!
But there was something about those hash browns,
bacon,
sausages,
that had me wanting more.
Fill me up
for the big day ahead
Don’t skip breakfast,
they said.
I had it twice,
with all things nice.
In my belly it goes
I wouldn’t do it thrice.

Country boy at heart
the city faces scare me
the constant noise
drowning out my thoughts.
People rushing
when they don’t have to
always gotta be somewhere
in the city.
Road works fill the streets
while the road workers whistle.
It’s not charming
much like gristle.
But, for all its downfalls
it has some perks.
The bright lights,
the restaurants,
the nightlife,
appeals to some.

Not to me,
this modern-day cowboy
sticks to his farm,
where he belongs.

It’s hard to describe
my feeling of joy
and the randomness of it.
It was a normal day
school holidays are in full swing
then something took over my body
it’s often puzzling.
I had always been quite uptight
always wanting to know what was to come
but at this moment
I was in complete bliss.
I climbed the fence
needed to get to the stables
where I’d often talk to the horses
as if they needed a friend.
As my feet hit the ground
I felt a sense of calm and joy
there was no rush, no plans,
just happy to be around.
It’s a feeling I have never forgotten
a young boy with the world in front of him.

22 years on,
the setting has changed
but I have constant joy
it’s not a fleeting moment
it’s permanent.
No fences needed to be jumped
no horses needed to be spoken to.
Just a girl
and her touch.

Staggering around the city
looking for a bite
taking life away from humans
it’s quite the fright.
Brian, John, Betty
they were once named
now nameless on their graves.
Feasting on brains
without fear
they attack
you never know when they’re near.
Grumblings and gurglings,
their only signs of life
A sad state of affairs,
it’s not much of a nightlife.
There’s no humanity with a zombie,
they’re just trying to survive.
We’re all one and the same,
just trying to thrive.

It’s dark inside my room
empty spaces and empty thoughts
Not a colour in sight
trapped in darkness.
It presses on my frontal lobe
but not enough to erase the pain
joyless,
soulless.
Want to come inside?

Eloquently, she takes off her dress
Layered with history, ready to be discovered
Nerves at their highest, stay steady
Affection of the highest order
Zestfulness taking over.

Gaga, she sends me
Over the top, like a lovesick puppy
Round and round my head spins with lust.
Babbling words are all I can muster
Aching with joy
Never thought I’d experience the thrill
I never want to let it go.

The three little pigs knocked on the door
Let us in!
Let us in!
Their wish was granted
by the orange-haired supreme leader of yesteryear.
They huffed,
they puffed,
and they blew the house down.
Overturn your decision!
Heard from the public outcry
Not by the hairs on your chinny chin chin,
they replied.
They are pigs,
after all.

There’s a woman sitting across from me
she is the most beautiful, caring, and sweet person I’ve ever met
she made me understand
she made me feel
what love truly is.
She’s the kind of person to do a poetry marathon with me
go to a comedy show
see an art gallery
everything I dreamed of in a partner
everything I had hoped for.
None of this would have happened,
had I not broken a heart
torn it into pieces
it was no work of art
but we had to part.
For the sake of love,
it was an easy decision.
Whatever the consequences,
I’m immune
I’ve found my Elnaz,
my Elnaz Joon.

I don’t know why I started
A part of me changed when you left
I wanted something new
and also to forget.
It wasn’t the smartest option
at the time I thought had no other option
there was only one way to go
all the way down to the bottom.
Now, I’m here
sitting across from familiar strangers
all with a story to tell
our monthly gathering
to cope with it all.
I feel ashamed to be here
this isn’t where I belong
intervention took place
if only I was strong.
But there’s light at the end of the tunnel
I can see a way out
Jim has put his bourbon down
Johnnie is cleaning up his act
they provide me with inspiration
once a month at this gathering,
I’ll be back.

It’s a special feeling we share
something unexplainable
that sets us off
at the most random times
The joke has been washed away
it doesn’t matter about the punchline
all we know,
is that our tummies are hurting
It’s uncontrollable
we are getting weird glances from outsiders
what’s so funny?
Well, that’s our little secret
It wouldn’t be as funny if we told you
you wouldn’t get it
the joke is for us
don’t you get it?
Just like beauty
it’s in the eye of the beholder
funny to some, not to others
but boy, we love this one.
It’ll be our thing
to reminisce about
that time we couldn’t contain ourselves
oh, what a sight.