Awakening

before the sounds of the City

pass through the open apartment window,

a bird on the fire escape sings a song,

sung before the City was here.

- jonathan hayes

(featured in the poetry forum 03.06.09)

Chinatown

A frenzy, like a tide pool
where everything is

eating and fucking.

- jonathan hayes

(added 03.06.09)

Mad

When the chirping birds
sound like, laughter.

- jonathan hayes

(added 03.06.09)

THE DEEP

The writer hears
the poem before
it appears.

The reader hears
the poem laying
on the page.

The poem hears
itself

below.

- jonathan hayes

(featured in the poetry forum 07.20.08)

The Boob Tube

shows the dictator
sentenced to be hung,
the baseball manager
leaving town and
going to another

city.

The weather report
of more rain coming soon,
and then the electric socket

goes out
in your room.

- jonathan hayes

(added 02.16.07)

Archeology

Finding
a piece of scary dust
Sunday morning.

Rediscovering
the Friday night memory

of my tongue spilling onto
the hallway floor

of the apartment building,

until, the hooker told her man
to “stop!”

the sleeper-hold on my neck.

- jonathan hayes

(added 02.16.07)

Territory

A black fly buzzing

inside white lampshade
casting a noir shadow.

It leaves warm glow
of circumference

– soars onto desk
and assaults the keyboard.

- jonathan hayes

(added 02.16.07)