poem of the day 05.10.10

softie

ivan has a soft heart
like a scrambled egg

he calls his mother on weekends
he still thinks she’s the best cook
in the world

he’d give you the shirt off of his back

buys rounds when he’s flush

loans you cash too

says he’s waiting eight more years
to retire from the transportation authority
then he’s opening a bait shop up north
so that he can have a little something in this life

ivan smiles when he sees you
he lumbers over and grabs your hand

he’s a softie they all say when he leaves
to catch the bus home

but one time he beat a man
so badly at a neil young concert

broke his nose
broke his face
took out teeth by the handful
tried to snap that guy’s arm off
but it wouldn’t break

that it’s all i can think about
when ivan smiles and slaps me on the back
asks me how it’s going
before he stumbles off laughing
dancing to a hot tuna song
playing on the jukebox