I discovered a copy of an old literary magazine tucked away in a box somewhere in my room this morning that was put together by some friends of mine. I went back and read all the poetry and short stories in it today and I think that now that I've done that, I have a greater appreciation of their work. I always knew they were great poets, but I never really read through this magazine when I got a copy of it - I must have skimmed through it and packed it away when I moved but I'm more intrigued by it the more I read. It's funny how you can know someone for so long and then read something they write and realize that you never really knew them at all. Anyway... I'm going to post some of these poems because I really like them. I think I'm going to post a different one every day. Here's the first - Enjoy.

Death wears overalls every day of the week
By: Keith Gurgick!!!!

If God deleted the parentheses of my body
and it exploded like a grenade
my soul
a homeless dancer
would float like dirt on a river of gold
and wash ashore on the coast of God's pubic beach
I lied there for days
waiting for my eyes to adjust to the light of this new plane
i saw mounds of beer bottles
filled with notes
and a neon sign above reading "out"
the bottles were carried away with the outgoing tide

i picked one from the virgin white beach
uncorked and read
"I can't remember your name"
written under
was a response
"you know my name"
tatooed on the insides of our lips
it is written on your spine
it is carved like the initials of lovers in trees
and bird-drop covered picnic tables
it is yelled from the gutters, and rooftops, of New York
on each and every blood cell
in the caves of the unexplored pacific
the guts of a soldier
the fingers of a pianist
the pen of a writer
the heart of a monster

a love letter
a war letter
a grin
a tear
a pause
a rush
a bullet
a suture
a first
a last
a son

you have seen my name
and now
go home
look under your pillow
you will not find change
in return for your teeth i have given
you
a star

* I love this poem. Where do I even begin? I like the stacatto section near the ending. I love the metaphors, and allusions, the pace... the way it ended, everything about it.