By Michael Aaron Gallagher
You are my inspiration—
short & sweet
The tries & tears in Baltimore—
Golden still-life memories
Eight-pound statuettes—
across-the-board
Stop-action photography—
A-list failures & more
sleepless nights on satin sheets
& feather pillows
You answered—
from the champagne yellow backdrop
of the Shrine Auditorium—
desperate cry of tabloid martyrdom
7 Wonders of the World
untold riches at the bottom of the Aegean Sea—
her gold and pearls
Am I the fluorescent stare of criticism
in the bloody twilight—
the crowd of humanity cold
shallow & self-absorbed?
Does Mona Lisa’s portrait
smile oyster pearl for me?
Her April complexion—
a defiant new vapor of self-expression—
“Impressionistic Cubism.”
Where is the silver costume—
The sacred pillar, movie-camera glare
Hollywood set— ticket stubs, video sales
& blockbuster flare?
There’s no film—
to prick my finger, iodine
Leave me now—
Let the paint trickle down
The black and white canvas—
Invisible lines
blurred my surreal vision of tomorrow—
I have learned—
the most important part of the journey—
is the dream
Excerpt from Michael Aaron Gallagher’s unpublished book of poetry titled “Worn-Out Cinema.” Copyright © 2000.
The above work is not to be used, reprinted or broadcast without written permission from the author.