"Feeling Vaguely Obscene"
A flawed poem, this one I still like because I can imagine doing it justice by reading it aloud while drunk. I don't actually drink Chivas 12 and tonic, mind you. I did once, probably about the time I wrote this poem. Must have thought I would like it.
Chivas 12 spiked tonic, glass after glass.
Ceramic and amber, catching the light.
I wallow self-pity,
The color of peat.
Choked down and quiet,
And amazingly sound.
I laugh out a scream, impotent me,
I take up and smash up,
Make a big scene.
Celluloid glass and rich plasticene.
Come world and gawk,
I feel vaguely obscene.
I'll pray to the silence
As sweet as you want.
Void like and spidery,
His webs all to and fro.
Majestic and miniscule,
As big as very small.
I'll pray to the silence,
I'll pray to them all.
I laugh out and scream out, insolent me,
Angry and clean,
On God's golden shore.
Sitting underneath Heaven's lamplight,
Pipesmoke and midnight
All glass shattery and steepled
As far as the eye can see.
That one shadow flourescent,
Red in its green.
Come world and gawk,
I feel vaguely obscene.
This poem written by W. Doug Bolden.
"The hidden is greater than the seen."