Alex lives and works in Minneapolis, his second chapbook The Latest News From Home was just released by Foothills Publishing. His third Chapbook Drowning Ophelia was released this summer by Little Poems Press.
Going Colorblind at Stand Up Franks
green-not the green of her eyes but the green felt
of the pool table, smoke still curled above the nine ball.
There's a cue alone in the corner, keeping guard over
the left side pocket and Lily looks ready to start her own
crime wave with a flit of her eyelashes. The bartender
pretends not to notice her pick the pocket of the drunk
suit because the guy was an asshole from the moment
he walked in the door.
black-it tastes like stale beer, hard to swallow, rough
like the streaks in her hair. She tells you the only color
that's real is burnt orange-tinged scotch that creates
an oil slick around a lone ice cube. The clock strikes
nothing and the only coaches around here are greyhounds.
red-sounds like she wants to hitch a ride. I might consider
if she were barefoot and willing to sing soft in my ear--
I wouldn't shave for days, then wish the building I lived
in had two extra floors to climb up when the sun explodes
and the side of my face is warm with her perfume.
blue-makes a slow hiss like the uneven spray of rain
on a brick wall, chipped and scratched with chalk-
a low warble intent on making an impression on anyone
worth anything and the only person left to impress
booked two hours ago and she took the radio; Schostakovitch
fading in the wind.