Swing Shift Blues
A poem by Alan Dugan What is better than leaving a bar in the middle of the afternoon besides staying in it or not having gone into it in the first place because you had a decent woman to be with? The air smells particularly fresh after the stale beer and piss smells. You can […]
Remembering An Account Executive
A poem by Alan Dugan He had a back office in his older brother’s advertising agency and understood the human asshole. He turned his father’s small inheritance over and over on hemorrhoid ads between three-hour lunches at the Plaza every day and cocktails at five-thirty with different dressy women waiting in our front office. […]
Prison Song
A poem by Alan Dugan The skin ripples over my body like moon-wooed water, rearing to escape me. Where could it find another animal as naked as the one it hates to cover? Once it told me what was happening outside, who was attacking, who caressing, and what the air was doing to feed […]
Portrait From The Infantry
A poem by Alan Dugan He smelled bad and was red-eyed with the miseries of being scared while sleepless when he said this: “I want a private woman, peace and quiet, and some green stuff in my pocket. Fuck the rest.” Pity the underwear and socks, long burnt, of an accomplished murderer, oh God, […]
Plague Of Dead Sharks
A poem by Alan Dugan Who knows whether the sea heals or corrodes? The wading, wintered pack-beasts of the feet slough off, in spring, the dead rind of the shoes’ leather detention, the big toe’s yellow horn shines with a natural polish, and the whole person seems to profit. The opposite appears when dead […]
On Looking For Models
A poem by Alan Dugan The trees in time have something else to do besides their treeing. What is it. I’m a starving to death man myself, and thirsty, thirsty by their fountains but I cannot drink their mud and sunlight to be whole. I do not understand these presences that drink for months in […]
On The Civil War On The East Coast Of The United States Of North America 1860 64
A poem by Alan Dugan Because of the unaccountable spirit of the troops oh we were marched as we were never marched before and flanked them off from home. Stupid Meade was after them, head on to tail, but we convinced him, finally, to flank, flank, cut off their head. He finally understood, the […]
On Hurricane Jackson
A poem by Alan Dugan Now his nose’s bridge is broken, one eye will not focus and the other is a stray; trainers whisper in his mouth while one ear listens to itself, clenched like a fist; generally shadowboxing in a smoky room, his mind hides like the aching boys who lost a contest […]
On Being A Householder
A poem by Alan Dugan I live inside of a machine or machines. Every time one goes off another starts. Why don’t I go outside and sleep on the ground. It is because I’m scared of the open night and stars looking down at me as God’s eyes, full of questions; and when I […]
On A Seven Day Diary
A poem by Alan Dugan Oh I got up and went to work and worked and came back home and ate and talked and went to sleep. Then I got up and went to work and worked and came back home from work and ate and slept. Then I got up and went to […]
Nomenclature
A poem by Alan Dugan My mother never heard of Freud and she decided as a little girl that she would call her husband Dick no matter what his first name was and did. He called her Ditty. They called me Bud, and our generic names amused my analyst. That must, she said, explain the […]
Monologue Of A Commercial Fisherman
A poem by Alan Dugan “If you work a body of water and a body of woman you can take fish out of one and children out of the other for the two kinds of survival. The fishing is good, both kinds are adequate in pleasures and yield, but the hard work and the […]
Internal Migration On Being On Tour
A poem by Alan Dugan As an American traveler I have to remember not to get actionably mad about the way things are around here. Tomorrow I’ll be a thousand miles away from the way it is around here. I will keep my temper, I will not kill the dog next door, nor will […]
Internal Migration Being Tour
A poem by Alan Dugan As an American traveler I have to remember not to get actionably mad about the way things are around here. Tomorrow I’ll be a thousand miles away from the way it is around here. I will keep my temper, I will not kill the dog next door, nor will […]
How We Heard The Name
A poem by Alan Dugan The river brought down dead horses, dead men and military debris, indicative of war or official acts upstream, but it went by, it all goes by, that is the thing about the river. Then a soldier on a log went by. He seemed drunk and we asked him Why had […]
Fabrication Of Ancestors
A poem by Alan Dugan For old Billy Dugan, shot in the ass in the Civil War, my father said. The old wound in my ass has opened up again, but I am past the prodigies of youth’s campaigns, and weep where I used to laugh in war’s red humors, half in love with […]
Elegy
A poem by Alan Dugan I know but will not tell you, Aunt Irene, why there are soap suds in the whiskey: Uncle Robert had to have A drink while shaving. Poetry Monster – Home A few random poems: External links Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry […]
Drunken Memories Of Anne Sexton
A poem by Alan Dugan The first and last time I met my ex-lover Anne Sexton was at a protest poetry reading against some anti-constitutional war in Asia when some academic son of a bitch, to test her reputation as a drunk, gave her a beer glass full of wine after our reading. She drank […]
Civil War East Coast United States North America 1860 64
A poem by Alan Dugan Because of the unaccountable spirit of the troops oh we were marched as we were never marched before and flanked them off from home. Stupid Meade was after them, head on to tail, but we convinced him, finally, to flank, flank, cut off their head. He finally understood, the […]
Against A Sickness To The Female Double Principle God
A poem by Alan Dugan She said: “I’m god and all of this and that world and love garbage and slaughter all the time and spring once a year. Once a year I like to love. You can adjust to the discipline or not, and your sacrificial act called ‘Fruitfulness in Decay’ would be […]
A Young Soul
A poem by Alan Dugan by Al Mutanabbi A young soul in my ageing body plays, Though time’s sharp blades my weary visage raze. *** Hard biter in a toothless mouth is she, The will may wane, but she a winner stays. *** Spare me to win glory’s […]
Winter039s Fall
by Akshay Raja With the backdoor hue turning mist, The day does lend a true sad wish The clouds up gather for a final song Thunders last break! ding n dong! Nature’s up with beauty it can Sharing its glow, with the river it ran Through the tress that shed leaves to […]
Tonic For Victory
by Akshay Raja hey warrior this is for you For one who lost his ways and view Who has a longing thought to press on For one who has hope still standing on! Still counting to be lone and frown? Aching but panics to drown Grasping life for the sweetest past […]
The Tiger039s Roar
by Akshay Raja With his or her words to reign Empty mind gone to drain People did try to strain Bold and courage had the pain. They took methods up so bad Brave warriors hit the sack Evil rule no dignity they had As a ball that hit we bounce back! […]
The New Path
by Akshay Raja Daring prince to lead my path Gusty wind to bear my wrath To seek pride i walk my route Swing my way through roots and shoots. Awakened cry a hell of song My heart fro back, ding n dong Creepy justice all to give Kill my lies for […]
Rain Falls
by Akshay Raja The morning glow shines a day,That’s still hard, still far away,With thousands of hands, trying to reachNew words, the day will preach,Of mighty words, almighty blowsOf the splendor, thee world showsWith the savior in us says it allListen! The RAIN will fall! listen, the birds chants hymnsChirps, but still […]
Peace Or Glory
by Akshay Raja A haunted dream reeling in My bloodshot eyes on the prowl With hours of darkness reeling in Should I dream or do howl? Streaming nests of bats flock in None to ask, just can scream With my scream so good will cost these thin A penny more for […]
Have Lost You
by Akshay Raja Lonely am i now On my soul stitches been made Shared my heart with something new Taught me it’s own way! You’re on my heart On my soul, but have lost you, Uttering words spoke by me, EACH STILL SEARCHING FOR YOU! consider this as a […]
Further You Go Longer You Stay
by Akshay Raja I once lived with you Liked my days and lived as you Gave my life for my heart that beats Threw me out like worn out seeds Never looked back… you’ve left me ‘n’ gone Passed the days where you’ve shown At the […]
Frozen Heart 2
by Akshay Raja The path i take on a windy mist A way to love full of turns ‘n’ twist A heart am lone, and cries below A soul filled with rain and snow. The sleekest dawn to smile across The grass that tears the heavenly pass Lacking to shed smiles […]
Fears Get Away
by Akshay Raja Had my heart to cry, when I was young Did squeal out, out with my tongue Had a feel to go forth Like oil in a boiling broth Took forward on the steps of freedom This world now became my kingdom Now my fears wept with lashes Hit them, […]
Dreamer
by Akshay Raja A humble heart trying to Be with you all day Craving for only you Day and night to lead my way! You’re the world which pleasures i seek Craving thy marble stone You’re the world and am a geek Swirling lone and lone! You’re the breeze to […]
Don039t Lose Hope
by Akshay Raja don’t lose hope when you are losing don’t fool yourself with your thoughts fading your mind shows a voice talking to you tell it what and who are you you’re brave, strong, and smart will you cry for not winning a lot? of course man you are born to […]
Counting My Past
by Akshay Raja Rolling back on a dusty road Hoping you know my name, my word That lasts a day or year or so Shed my days, with joy you know! Hoping you’re my guest a day A spot we fixed, and panics to stay Still thoughts lurk growing too far […]
A Friend Forever
by Akshay Raja A humble heart trying to Be with you all day Craving for only you Day and night to lead my way! You’re the world which pleasures i seek Craving thy marble stone You’re the world and am a geek Swirling lone and lone! You’re the breeze to […]
Your Dream
by Ajmer Rode If you have forgotten your dream don’t worry I saw it with my own eyes. The figure that stood before you with a bouquet of fresh roses was not me The arm that wrapped round your waist tightly was not mine, nor the fingers that stroked your hair. […]
When I Married Halld R Laxness
I watched the froth go down and the yellow liquid rise to meet it. I twisted the glass around and it tipped over and spilled on his arthritic knee. I looked to the side and didn’t apologize. His beautiful bony fingers flicked off the foam in separate particles as if it was incidental lint he […]
What Peace Is Like
by Aju Mukhopadhyay Peace is like the early rays of the Sun, slightly auburn, spreading on the eastern sky. Peace is like the mild setting Sun, sure of its return, splashing colours on the western sky. Peace is like the rising full moon, bright in its orb, from above the rows of […]
Upside Down
It’s funny how beetles and creatures like that can walk upside down as well as walk flat. They crawl on a ceiling and climb on a wall without any practice or trouble at all. While I have been trying for a year (maybe more) and still I can’t stand with my head on […]
Unrequited Pathological
by Aideen Henry I am jealous of the air he breathes and displaces, the water that washes over him, lingering randomly in horizontal bodily fossae, the mirror he peers into, the comb that traces his hair pattern, the aftershave that lingers on his face, the clothes that variously enfold him, the socks that […]