poem of the day 05.10.16

communal mourning

whenever some big artist dies

i know that in a few days’ time they’ll be at it

the writers and the writer magazines

send us your tributes

poems, fiction, short stories

memories, essays, what-have-you

they all want to get in on the act

it makes sense some of the time

artists are the closest we get to honest saints

they also come the closest to complete and utter charlatans

and would probably win that race

if it weren’t for the religious and for politicians

i guess it makes people feel better

to get their emotions out that way

one poem next to one poem next to a short story

next to flash fiction next to someone’s essay

about their first date coupled with an artist’s rendition

of the dearly departed and irreplaceable genius

communal mourning by way of publication credits

although sometimes i wish these writers wouldn’t do this

sometimes reading ten to twenty to thirty pieces

of mostly mediocre writing about the same dead horse

lessens the value of what we’ve lost

this over saturation of emotion feels artificial

and has the completely opposite effect of its intent

one so easily tires of the word genius

 i wish that i was smart enough

or articulate enough to pen an essay

telling everyone to stop

but i know no one would listen to me

so i think when the next big one goes

i’m not even going to bother with those tribute issues

i’ll read my grocery list instead

because i honestly don’t care if you got your knob waxed

in the back seat of a car to a bowie song

or if your fat ass lost the girl of your dreams

while listening to prince

and neither, probably,

did they.