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      February 6, 2019I Am the Shit a.k.a Used to Be / A BopDenise Bell

      my man slow down
      drinking fast gets you high
       
      look at those pitiful brothers across the street
      they think shucking and jiving me
      will get me to grease their palms with my pension check
      i don’t give money to lost causes
      or to men whose idea of manhood is holding their dicks
       
      listen i was never a want to be
      chump change brother
      who’s content to exist
       
      my life isn’t about just getting by
      that’s why i served my country to get a free college education
      i was an accountant
      my man before i retired
      i had an office a secretary who only reported to me
       
      i was never on my knees begging
      counting chump change
      being grateful to exist
       
      getting a woman was never a problem
      i’d snap fingers & they’d come running to me
      girls were grateful to be touched by my crown jewels
       
      cause i was never on my knees
      counting chump change
      being grateful to exist
       
      what’s your hurry man
      take this ten get you some more brews
      i still have a lot of conversating to do
       
      bro what took you so long
      you had to make a pit stop
      man slow down your drinking or start wearing depends
       
      as i was saying all the women were after me
      i decided to plant my seeds in a quiet educated church girl
      we couldn’t stay together cause she wanted me anchored to one bed
      one woman can’t satisfy me
       
      i sent my kids money twice a month
      they grew up in the brownstone i bought
      my seeds knew nothing of food stamps    welfare checks
       
      you see
      i was never on my knees
      counting chump change counting brother
      grateful to exist
       
      i got to be truthful my son is an ungrateful son of a bitch
      he had the guts to tell me i was never around
      & i have no idea who he is
      i put him through college and he talks crap
      my daughter’s different
      she sends me cards
      answers my calls
      least i can do
      is to help her pay rent
      give her tuition money for my grandkids
       
      you see i was never on my knees
      begging to be loved
      being satisfied just to exist
       
      i’m tired
      got to call my aide
      the girl is missing a lot of brain cells
      i don’t complain about her
      cause i’m afraid her agency will send me someone dumber
      listen man take this five
      wheel me to my door
       
      you see brother
      i was never on my knees begging
      i never accepted b.s.
      & definitely    i’ll never be grateful just to exist

      from #62 - Winter 2018

      Denise Bell

      “I am a mature published poet and a listener to the woes and joys of people who are shunned and forced to the margins.”