THE STREET ALWAYS FOLLOWS THE STREETLIGHT
by A.J. Kaufmann

The darkening lights of St. Anton’s cemetery swirl
line up
& crack
their
fog whip
pockets

As the street always follows
the streetlight
& the needle always follows
the vein:
the vein
that wasn’t there

I ate lunch at the padre’s grave
lit up
the cemetery lamp
lit up
the Havana
followed the lover’s
silhouette
groan

Threw the bastard
a sonnet
on his tombstone
the letters were gold
as his soul
was just
crow’s clipped wing’s
single
hand-clap

Sang some German
nocturnes
w/ the fool moon piano
shuffled Nico
almost saw
her

& continued to brawl
until I could clearly see
swift pale atmosphere’s
horses
arriving
& smell them
very
near
While the padre at poker
w/ the silver-eyed
vampire
paid no attention
& continued
to lose

The St. Anton’s so lonely at dawn
as the dew forms
its puzzles
& the rare visitors
stare
at the stone
deaf
sirens
in hope for
comforting
answers

& then they find me
sprayed all over
the stone
breeding
sanctuary
snoring
post-alcoholic
reviews

* * *

A.J. Kaufmann  is a young Polish poet, songwriter and traveler, the author of Siva in Rags, Pilgrims & Indians, Broke Nuptial Minds, Saint of Kreuzberg and other poetry / song lyrics chapbooks. You can visit him online at http://ajkaufmann.pl or at http://kaballahfreighttrain.wordpress.com.

Insane in Rome (2008) and Saint of Kreuzberg (2010):
http://erbacce-press.webeden.co.uk/#/a-j-kaufmann/4530637516

Vagabond Vacancy (2010):
http://kendrasteinereditions.wordpress.com

Pilgrims & Indians (2008):
http://www.lulu.com/content/4473070