Peter Carlaftes
I’M A VICTIM OF THE PRODUCTS OF MY TIME

This is the story
of what happened
to me
last week
in Las Vegas
see/when
I bought one of those
silly cocktails
with the spinning, white lights
in the base of the cup and
I went into the john to pee,
my pee came out a stream of
spinning, white lights
(then)
the guy next to me
started screaming,
Look! Look!
and when a crowd
formed around me
asking,
Where did you get That?
I just pointed
a direction
Over There
and the herd
stampeded -off
in that
very same direction
and many
were trampled;
women and children
first
then/soon
others were peeing
spinning, white lights -so
I strutted back
to my room
head high
proud
to help preserve
"the"
American Way -of
accumulating more
albeit/from
the waste
which
we expel
but/then
I had to shit
and when I wiped
my ass
I saw
a bright, blue
striped
around
my turd
which/floated
in the bowl -so
I ran out in the hall
to incite
another movement
(but)
the empty hall
of -quiet air
stood empty
up/until
some kid
two doors down
pushed his
food cart out
then/puked
a dark, red splash
from which came
these rosy jumping chunks
kind of
like those funny
beans -that
just went
bouncing
down the hall
across
the greenish
speckled carpet
as we both
stood/in
amazement
(there)
admiring
the nature -of
American invention
(so)
strong/still
in the face
of great recession

.  .  .

bright red
bouncing chunks,

white-lit
pee/and
blue-striped
shit

what a land -of
brave and free
.  .  .

only
trouble is
I've/been
 afraid
to jack off
ever since


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Peter Carlaftes is a New York City Poet, Playwright and Performer with a Passion for Enabling the Powerless to Shine. Along with Kat Georges, he is Co-Founder of Three Rooms Press.