pills for a hard-cover life

pills for a hard-cover life

needy poets with long fingers

grip the slip of tongue

itchy digits scratch the keys of consternation

contorted hearts massage the page

with words of indigent meaning

but it's enough, like a dollar to a drunk

combined to buy a bottle

to hide in a paper bag maybe used as parchment

in the heat of a tirade of tired testosterone

lovers only a reflection in a rear-view mirror

like Viagra propelled thoughts

their scribblings absorb the booze drawn inspiration

as libation

to loosen up soliloquies of self-deprecation

as the fingers form fists

and deliver a punch to those

who have that true gut

of interpretation,

when others just walk by

brisking their pace.

erin-cilberto

2/10/18

Reviews

[Jimmy Yetts]

Extremely clever word play connects metaphorical marvels.
A brilliant assessment of clawing and jealous "poets"; poets in-name-only.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind review, Jimmy.
j.

[550AU]

the writer's life... when everything is a subject, a muse, but it is the details that adore us; the writer's mind abides.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your words, 550AU--
j.

[h d e rushin]

EVERY POEM, is a scathing revolt against the "righteous order" of mankind. And yet, every poet is trapped by the stipulating constraints of language. If your not careful you might pass one on the street, sit next to one on the bus or nudge one out of the way in the vegetable isle since they look like every man/woman. but there's a burning so loud, so utterly magnified that they have to go someplace and let it all hang out . is it unfair to think that the world is separated by the only two groups of folk that really matter to it's orbit, poets and non poets..?........well, yes! Great poem my friend.....dana

[jacob erin-cilberto]

dana, you make me smile....thank you for these words...
j.

[barleygirl]

This is such a delightfully exaggerated version of self-absorbed introspection as to be hilarious, poking fun at ourselves, we self-proclaimed poets, so full of foibles & OCD grinding. But especially the way you convey this from a distinctly male POV, it's literally dripping with heavily-pontificated mind melts. Some of your phrases are crafted like melted butter on lobster *yum!* Fondly, Margie

[jacob erin-cilberto]

i love lobster under melted butter so i take that as a compliment...thank you dear lady...
j.

[Gandré]

Here it is a topic all of us know more or less: a strong sense of a poet's existential dread when the words won't write themselves.. :) I liked:
"their scribblings absorb the booze drawn inspiration
as libation
to loosen up soliloquies of self-deprecation

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you, Gandre.
j.

[Alfred Kukitz]

you have some great lines that drip, ooze & veer right into the blackness of the poem. i can feel the darkness.

regards,
al

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your kind words, Al.
j.

[Ted Kniffen]

I have dwelt in that hard cover life and now am a needy poet with long fingers that still at times form fists of rage. That reflection in the rear view mirror is of my father drinking himself to death to avoid the ghosts that plagued him for so long after the war. It is difficult for most to accept, easier to spout platitudes and turn away. A brilliant description of what so many go through, j. A damn fine write. Thank you for that!

Ted

[jacob erin-cilberto]

thank you for your very kind review, Ted.
j.

[CD Campbell]

Is everyone else to afraid to touch this one? You had me at dollar, drunk, and booze. Ok, testosterone and viagra were just icing on a very dark poetic cake, but the imagery provided is bar-none. This poem made me wonder if I am a hack at times, which is something I'm sure we all struggle with. It's the super confident ones that turn out dog s**t consistently, I believe. I keep reading the last stanza over and over again wondering if I am the former or the latter. Maybe we can be a combination of the two. It's a damn good write that's for sure. Have a good day, man. CD

[jacob erin-cilberto]

if we never think we are good enough, we just keep striving to write a good poem....and if we lose that? get over confident in our ability...we lose.
thank you for understanding and relating to this piece, CD...And your work is wonderful...you are no "hack"!
j.

[CD Campbell]

You the man J