Friday, December 18, 2009

Tim Tomlinson on failures to communicate...



Breakfast


In Heartbreak a half hour till sun-up

the barman dances with his best friend’s wife

to George Michael’s “I Want Your Sex,”

a loaded handgun tucked into his

beltless jeans. Opposite the jukebox

the game of 8-ball in the green felt glare

stops on a sloppy break that sends the cue

ball rolling between the legs of a bride

from Indiana whose husband is

interested, he tells the barman, in some

breakfast. That gets a laugh from the few of

us still hearing in English. The barman

says, “Well, could all use a little breakfast.”

The couple laughs like they heard some kind of joke.




FIVE-LINE POEMS


Walking Home


On Sterling Place

I walk behind a man

walking home. He waves

to nine people who wave back.

This is, like, New York.



Belief


tonight

you no longer believe

things will change.

Tomorrow,

you might.



Failure


the failure

of your ex-wife’s poems

pleases you.

your own –

that hardly matters.


Questions


you have learned

not to ask questions

when they cry in your bed—

questions

have answers



Tim is a great writing teacher. Was mine! I took his workshop in the 90s when I first started writing, you know, seriously. He now part of this New York Writers Workshop.


and here's an interview with Tim:


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