say I were to list in
any sort of order the things
I love the most
it would have to start with clean cool air
essence of rose
a sturdy bed to sleep
corrected vision and lungs
maybe a little less hair on the body
and good skin
you see where this is going
from what I love
to what
I’d rather have
it’s the fate of the nihilist
stuck in some chamber of unconscious
dependence on lovely
immortal sunsets and champagne
drunk out of a shoe
marriage to the
ideal woman
finally the cute kids and trips to Europe
the castles, the brasseries
cigar smoking
wide boulevards and outdoor cafes like in the old days
say I were
in love
or never once bit my fingernails
to the quick
I’d be as full of shit
as the next guy
maybe even more
Jay Passer’s work has appeared online and in print since 1988. He lives and works in San Francisco, the city of his birth. His latest chap, Flower Omelette, co-authored with Misti Rainwater-Lites, is available from Lulu.
Your One Phone Call 