bradley mason hamlin | 3 poems

When The Music Can’t Heal You

Headache
so
ice-pick bad
had
to
press my palm
over
my left eye
to see straight
with my right
couldn’t
even
listen
to jazz
horns
hurting me
88 keys
stabbing brain
and bad rhymes
haunting my mind
it’s no good,
it’s awful lonesome
I thought
when the music
can’t heal
you
it’s over.

Tony Bennett Said It’s Like Making Love

Sometimes
they won’t leave me alone
they say the world spins
and I can feel it
like the machine gun
gets heavier in hands
bare knuckled fingers
harder
to pull trigger

Knowing
we all live for slave labor
knowing our President
does not inspire
morale
watching
reality tv kill creativity

I lay my head on keys
and think of Tony Bennett
when asked
if he ever gets tired of singing
the same songs …

“Well,” he said,
“do you ever get tired of making love?”

Good point
Tony B.

So I load my weapon
and look for the wild thing
deep inside the basement
for the ghost
wailing
white
dust
and
paper banshees

I know the lead can’t re-kill
the undead
but
I can still show ‘em
I mean business.

VODKA 2008

Drinkin vodka
against the blank page
I don’t even know ya
I don’t even wanna know
your name

Drinkin vodka
even though it’s
really fuckin lame
got a hole in my gut
take two pills a day
and I’ll never …
end this shitty poem.


Bradley Mason Hamlin lives in Sacramento, California. His poetry, short stories, and articles have appeared in several small press books, magazines, and newspapers in print and on line. Brad & his wife Nicky own Mystery Island Publications and publish an ongoing in-print literary pop culture magazine called: Mystery Island Magazine. Recent work includes the editing and formatting of Tough Company by singer/songwriter Tom Russell, featuring: Charles Bukowski. Brad is also the creator of the metaphysical crime series: Monster Zipper, featuring the Intoxicated Detective. For more information about Hamlin and other wild things—visit: www.mysteryisland.net

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.