Ivan Jenson

 

Ivan Jenson has published widely in the US and the UK and received recognition for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's, New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Zygote in my Coffee, Camroc Press Review, Word Catalyst Magazine,  Poetry Super Highway, Hidden City Quarterly, and many others. He now writes novels and poetry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

 

Ivan Jenson's Website: www.ivanjensonartist.com

 

Coke Head

 

I want to hijack

that big red

Coca Cola truck

and

criss-cross

the country

high on

sugar and caffeine

until they find

me burping

bubbly

and

hiccuping

a carbonated

criminal

still fizzing

after

a high

speed chase

with

the fuzz

 

---

 

On the edge

 

you need to clean up your act

get out of your rut

move out of that dump

throw out your junk

stop hanging out with losers

break up with that cheater

stop taking those pills

and talking trash

get a haircut, throw out the porn

quit eating fast-food

and drinking soda and beer

lose forty pounds

and treat your mother nicer

then if things still suck

jump

 

---

 

Vows

 

I do

as long as

you

don’t

cheat

gain weight

go gray

get old

listen to Metal

smoke

or wear

Mom jeans

 

and I do

as long as

you don’t

go broke

get a beer belly

a skanky mistress

or need

hair plugs

 

I now pronounce you

nasty man

and not a very nice wife

 

---

 

Heartache Hotel

 

I can hear the sound

of one door  closing

in the long hallway

of a lovely, lonely hotel

I see the extravagant

leftovers on the floor

I see signs

that say “Do not Disturb”

I hear muffled

laughter of the

TV in the rooms

I hear the muffled

laughter of real

lovers in their suites

after a long day of

sightseeing

I enter my

room and

see a chocolate

on my pillow

I will have

a night of

self searching

channel surfing

and long distance calling

I am a traveler

on business

who had the hope

of pleasure

but alas,

Chicago

didn’t deliver

and four am.

is a bit

late to find love

when Check out

is at noon

 

---

 

Rest in Peace

 

here lies a man

who was never

truly cherished,

understood or famous

but lucky for him

he gets to

wake up

and keep on

living

that way