One Too Many Poets One Too Many Poetry Readings

by A.D. Winans

you can find them in the back room
poised for a quick exit
they’re the first poets to read
and the first to leave
they always carry a loose–leaf
notebook with them
always have a pretty young girl
hanging on to their arm

there is always one who claims
to have known Kerouac or Ginsberg
to have slept with one or both
two or three live with the Gods
another two or three claim to be God

two ex–junkies one homosexual
one drag queen with too much mascara
two sad eyed women rubbing their hands
when they’d prefer to be rubbing something else

always a drop out from the Beat Generation
a hold over from the Hippie days
a woman with short hair
a nervous poet with a tic
a refugee from the drug set
a failed poet who drops names
faster than an auctioneer

one poet who reviews poetry
one poet who is an editor
one poet who wants to be an editor
one Messiah and one visiting
out of town star