January 2018
Alexander Antonio Manzoni
alexanderantoniomanzoni@gmail.com
alexanderantoniomanzoni@gmail.com
I have been writing poetry for over twenty years. In September 2014, I moved to Spokane, from Newfield, New Jersey. My work has been published in several online outlets, a coloring book, and most recently: "Spokane Writes: A Poetry & Prose Anthology." I am member of Art Seed Spokane, and perform poetry regularly, at their shows.
A Prayer to The Altar of Kerouac & Bukowski
Gray skies & coffee. Witness thy breath.
Witness The Smoke that comes from thy lips.
3 looming pines-- LOOKING DOWN, on me.
Here, have they been-- for many-a-year
beyond The Three, I hath spent, here.
Centuries pass into ash.
Morning poetry. I am fathoming dreams
and off-color scenes--
PRAYING, at The Altar of Kerouac & Bukowski.
The Verse moves me into MOTION.
My Body becomes A Metronome.
I bob FORWARD and BACK,
alone with Thy Thoughts.
Notebook & coffee. They keep me COMPANY.
FREE ME FROM THE GRIP of THY DARKNESS.
DIVING into depths-- poetry.
Words cast BEYOND “The Simply.”
Depression. Delving dream-on demons
are thereupon PURGED (momentarily).
Gray skies & coffee-- preternatural DYNAMITE.
The Message-- it comes. Tho' not in The Way that One might EXPECT.
Wrecked, like Hesperus. Longfellow. DEATH HAPPENS. LIFE HAPPENS.
Follow Me into The Storie'd BREECH.
I beseech Thy Soul to REACH HEIGHTS
NEVER BEFORE IMAGINED.
Heaven sent-- pathways.
Lead Me to TRUTH.
Lead Me to
WHAT LAYETH BEYOND
The Scope and Breadth of
IGNORANT YOUTH.
I leave, to thee, Kerouac & Bukowski--
An Offering. POETRY.
Praying at The Altar of Kerouac & Bukowski.
I AM SUFFERING.
And there is NOTHING, to say,
to CHANGE The Outcome.
Run. RUN. RUNNING,
with pen, into BATTLE.
Rattling Blind Minds
with soul-borne CRIES.
I sigh, and GAZE out
toward The Foggy Horizon.
I am singing SONGS
that doth not yet EXIST.
And if I MISSED anything,
it will so SURFACE.
Grant Me GRACE.
Grant Me GRACE,
oh POETRY GODS--
so GONE.
Inspire Me,
into perpetuity.
Hear Thy Prayer:
At The Altar
of Kerouac
&
Bukowski.
To which, I
present thee
(along with poetry):
A Tumbler Glass
of Whiskey.
Be it known,
that The Irony is
NOT lost
on Me.
© 2018 Alexander Antonio Manzoni
Editor's Note: If this poem(s) moves you please consider writing to the author (email address above) to tell him or her. You might say what it is about the poem that moves you. Writing to the author is the beginning of community at Verse Virtual. It is very important. -FF