serious freedom

serious freedom

A Poem by Philip Gaber

Blew into town like a reputable vagrant,
with a pack of smokes and a
full flask of apple jack and a
quarter of a chip still left
on my shoulder.

I checked my watch.

It had stopped.

Checked the sun.

It was a few minutes fast.

Ducked into a movie theater.

A film by Jolly Johns was showing,
starring somebody named Roxie Fuller.

She was chronically dissatisfied
with something,
something intangible,
inscrutable.
Kept chain smoking and
picking up guys at a bar
in a Holiday Inn.

Wore lots of lip gloss and
purple eye shadow and high heels
that made her wobble like a Weeble.

I walked out an eighth of the way
through the movie,
(had nobody to root for),
was accosted by a woman whose face
was scarred by acne.

She bummed a cigarette off me,
asked me if I could ever vote for
somebody who was pro-life.

Told her, I don’t vote.

She said why not.

Told her, don’t complain
so I don’t vote.

She said, well at least you’re consistent.

Told her, that I am, sister,
that I am.

Excused myself,
walked east,
or was it west?
Definitely wasn’t north or south.
Could’ve been northeast or southeast.

Decided it really didn’t matter
because I was a reputable vagrant
with a quarter of a chip still left
on my shoulder,
goodly in need of a crucial moment and
black coffee,
secretly yearning
for precise reasoning and
a Pop tart,
but settling for
the middle ground and
something 3 weeks past
its expiration date.

© 2024 Philip Gaber


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Written nicely. Enjoyed reading 😀

Posted 5 Months Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.


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Added on June 20, 2024
Last Updated on June 20, 2024

Author

Philip Gaber
Philip Gaber

Charlotte, NC



About
I hate writing biographies. I was one of those kids who rode a banana seat bike and watched Saturday morning cartoons and Soul Train. But my mother would never buy any of those sugary cereals for us k.. more..

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