Year Ten 1986-1987
Year Ten, 1986-1987
by joe cloyd
Running around
Screaming
Hating school
Hating
The pledge
Of allegiance
Not being
Afraid of
Nuclear war
Laughing at
Everything
Wanting to be
A communist
Thinking you’re
Big shit
Starting fights
Teasing girls
Teasing the rejects
Wanting to be
Superman
Or a werewolf
Or a vampire
Or a cockroach
Waiting for
The grown ups
To feed you
Eating cake mix
Rubbing your
Privates
Walking to
The store
Down the street
To buy
Candy
Going to
The toy store
While
Mom goes
To Nordstrom
Watching her
Cry when
You’re caught
Shoplifting
Resenting
The other kids
For having
Normal families
Talking
To cats
Watching
Cats fuck
Catching
Garden snakes
Digging
Holes
Burying your
G.I. Joe
And He-Man
Action figures
Alive
Burning the
Other ones
Memorizing psalms
Faking religion
To get at
Some
Free food
Thinking about death
Thinking about suicide
Deciding to
Keep on
To see where
Life takes you
Covering your
Hand
In lighter
Fluid
And
Setting it
On Fire
And then being
Amazed that
It doesn’t
Burn
Feeling invincible
Thinking you are
Superman
Stealing money
Out of your
Mom’s boyfriend’s
Wallet
Wondering
When the next punch
Is coming
And where
It’s coming from
Wondering
When your
Mom’s boyfriend
Will next
Threaten to
Kick you out
And not caring
Watching
Horror movies
Watching
Cartoons
Watching
The world go by
And wondering
If it’s
A horror movie
Or a cartoon
And knowing
That it’s
A little bit
Of both
And not
Caring about
That either
very nice joe.
Yeah, good job. This is the best thing I’ve read of yours. Great flow. And being approximately the same age as you, I can relate. I didn’t see cats fuck until college however, and instead of burying the he-men I decapitated them. As for burning your hand, you’re on your own there. Nice work.
I can relate a bit to this from days of youth spent traversing Houston bayous to east Dallas avenues, but wasn’t as violent as this person. That said, my youth doesn’t make great poetic material, so it’s nice to see it does for some. I like it, personally, wasn’t sure how others would react though, which is usually enough reason(s) to post.
What a powerful poem. it had me totally clinched. drama high style and terror of the moment ahead for always life spills and flows, tilts and follows.
and i forgot, the photo of the girl on the floor in the back light….so effusive, the tone speaks, the words deliver.
Poetic catharsis with youthful memories–growing pains and figuring out the world. i agree, good flow and good read. Particularly i liked how you put together that last line: “Watching Horror movies Watching Cartoons Watching The world go by And wondering If it’s A horror movie Or a cartoon And knowing That it’s A little bit Of both And not Caring about That either”.
i would have liked to’ve seen a: “Wasting a whole bottle of Elmer’s Glue on a red ant mound watching them move in slo-mo tugging and tearing abdominae and angst-ridden antennae” …but that’s just me wanting to superimpose my own experience on you, and hence wrong. lol.
Acting out is a part of life and sometimes you just can’t keep it bottled in. Perhaps that’s adolescence–wonderfully captured! thx for sharing!