THE BAR

THE BAR

In the dim light of the bar
Patrons spill out near closing time.
Their emotions left in their empty glasses
While I talk absently to my quaff.
Suddenly, a woman sits next to me
Her conversation walks all over
The place about something absurd.
And, dips unexpectedly into a nail biter
Then concludes with cavalier wisdom.
Our laughter fills the edges of the room.
A chance encounter becomes durable
As cupid inches closer to unsheathe
An arrow.

Arnal Kennedy

THE FIG TREE

THE FIG TREE

After the evening sex act
With my crazy ex-wife
Who knows professional tricks
And can work her body like a whore
Answered the question
Now is there peace between us?

The silent knowledge gathered
Steam of the power of woman
Over man reigns immortal
Like the truth of scripture
As she fired up the brim stone
To make me step back and squeal “oh”.

She molded me like clay on a potters wheel
Looked intensely into my eyes
And said, “I will give it all to you!”
I forgot the hurt, the indiscretion
That made the burning stars
Fall out the sky like dying embers.

We got to the soft conversation
Instead of the earthquake vibrations
Of anger, and saw myself as culprit
For every human action produces a result
So the cursed fig tree
Will never again bare fruit.

Arnal Kennedy

LEARNING LESSONS

LEARNING LESSONS

It was in college in Yuma
And her face belonged
On a billboard.
She was Negro and Mexican
And not given her respect
In her hometown of Nogales.

Because her hair was too kinky
And her butt too big
Her skin the color of horchata.

The day she arrived
She was envied by other girls
Who had to watch dog their boy friends
And hated by boys who found out
She was not easy access.

But she found me
The only dog who was properly trained
And I learned early on
What is love anyway
Except the ability to grovel.

Arnal Kennedy

FALL SHORT

FALL SHORT
As a teenager
In a mixed environment
I did not know
There was any shame
In being a violet
As opposed
To being a marigold
For they are both flowers

My friend said
"I would like
To date you
Even though
You are a Negro"

I said "even though"

Then I thought
You go to your church
And I go to my church
We all fall
Short of God equally
Arnal Kennedy

THE OMEN

THE OMEN

Someday we will meet
When our obsessions
Have lost their power to hurt.

Perhaps it will be at
Central Park West and you
Would’ve found the tender mercies

Of a girl friend to take into your
Confidence who will understand
The sliding fortune of your

Point of view. I will stand there
After introductions and remember
Your promises that ruled my world.

Later, in my apartment I will pen
A word or two as if meeting were an omen
And your apology which requires a different grit.

Arnal Kennedy

SHADOWS

SHADOWS

She was the beast in my veins
My yesterday, today and tomorrow
Who let herself be coveted
By a boy too big for me to best.

Then came the snide remarks
From the victor who walked away
With the prize and placed self-pity
On my head like a hat too big to wear.

It wasn’t just the blood on my shirt
Or insight into girls that left me feeble
It was not having the power
To right a wrong in this raw deal.

This smelled bad as over ripe chicken,
When did their shadows start stalking each other,
Not even a lobotomy could erase this memory
Now the whole earth has been polluted.

Arnal Kennedy