on venice beach.

I remember
when you took me to Venice Beach
for the first time,
and I saw the firecracker art
splattered on the sidewalk like
forgotten tombstones
and the men with matted dreadlocks,
dusty and muted and grey-gold like
fat squids illuminating dust. it was
partially raining and
you gave me your black coat
and plaid scarf, and the storm
didn’t deter the artists from making their
stained glass penguins and
Adobe-brick blankets. we were so young,
holding hands and digesting the
insanity, the poetry, the loud
bangles and music
from the jazz bassist like thunder
from a troll’s jagged mouth. when the
rain fell harder we ran to your car,
and you kissed me on the mouth
like I was more beautiful than
those artists getting soaked by
the ocean’s dark iron, the
peals of blue diamonds from
the sky. you and i thought we would
live forever, we thought our skin
would always be smooth like
rows of silver sand. I have never been
so lonely
in my life.

• On Friday, January 11, 2008, slow.burn.star (91) wrote:
  
  dont stop
  
  
• On Tuesday, January 8, 2008, Bakkhus Unbound (1055) wrote:
  
  "music from the jazz bassist like thunder from a troll’s jagged mouth." Jazz.Beat.Romance.Heartfelt.Poignant.Everything that is you & poetry; I absolutely felt this poem, as if I were a wave of "the ocean’s dark iron" ebbing to & from across the Venice Beach atmosphere... I felt Jim & Jack in the "forgotten tombstones". A brilliant knife twist to end this fabulous Roman candle poem, burning burning... beautifully! You are a true poet, and no mere pet. Or should I say more Poe than Pet? A little more than kin, and less than kind? How is it that the clouds still hang on you? You are the thunderstorm! Crash! 10 points!
  
  
• On Saturday, January 5, 2008, carlosjackal (1799) wrote:
  
  An absolutely belting piece..beautiful, tragic..and the description and flow, well, just spectacular :)
  
  
• On Friday, January 4, 2008, A Better Way To Die (265) wrote:
  
  Oh yes, you are back... all the way back and now I have something truly beautiful to chew on. Thank you.
  
  
• On Friday, January 4, 2008, Hidayah (135) wrote:
  
  Firecracker art and squids. I will definitely fave this once I'm upgraded. I've missed reading you, you awesome beauty.
  
  
• On Friday, January 4, 2008, i tremble (34) wrote:
  
  This is the most beautifully AND brilliantly wrote poem I have read in quite some time. I am fucking amazed by you. It's like you dipped your words in raw emotion as you went off to war.
  
  
• On Friday, January 4, 2008, What Limes (118) wrote:
  
  you're a beautiful heartache. This reminded me of something off a Chili Peppers album. Friggin great!
  
  
• On Friday, January 11, 2008, Alanarchy (1483) wrote:
  
  'This Velvet Glove' for sure. Or at least, i'm riding the same vibes here as there.
  
  
• On Friday, January 4, 2008, Sharon Rose (625) wrote:
  
  yeah. I missed you. and this. all of the words you spew, whether you like them or loathe them, want to share or don't want to share. you paint images brighter than dawn out of the ugliest things found in dirty corners in the dark. lonely hurts like hell, hun. it's better when you make it beautiful like this.
  
  
• A former member wrote: Wow. Memory lane can be a trainwreck. Sadly written yet nicely read.
  
  
• On Thursday, January 3, 2008, Niemand (549) wrote:
  
  *sighs* Heartbreakingly Beautiful...-Gin