This collection of previously unpublished poems offers the author's take on squabbling neighbours, off-kilter lovers, would-be hangers-on, and the loneliness of a man afflicted with acute powers of observation. The tone is gritty and amusing, spiralling out towards a cock-eyed wisdom. This collection of previously unpublished poems offers the author's take on squabbling neighbours, off-kilter lovers, would-be hangers-on, and the loneliness of a man afflicted with acute powers of observation. The tone is gritty and amusing, spiralling out towards a cock-eyed wisdom. 1. one writer's funeral 15(2) beagle 17(1) a smile to remember 18(1) where was Jane? 19(2) the fish with yellow eyes and green fins leaps into the volcano 21(2) 1966 Volkswagen minivan 23(2) his cap 25(2) luck from a kitchen 27(2) it was just a little while ago 29(1) the fight game 30(3) a lady who wants to help? 33(2) Carson McCullers 35(1) a happening 36(2) albums 38(2) makeover 40(1) centuries of lies 41(2) too tough to care 43(2) funny man 45(3) a fan 48(1) Christ in his manger 49(5) the priest 54(2) 1810-1856 56(1) back to the machine gun 57(1) love dead like a crushed fly 58(6) it beats love 64(1) the automobilies of DeLongpre 65(1) 40 years ago 66(4) the counter revolution 70(5) a definition 75(3) Gothic and etc. 78(2) Brando 80(2) rogue's gallery 82(3) media 85(3) I was wrong 88(3) 2. up, down and all around 91(1) the main course 92(3) it's all music 95(1) my cat, the writer 96(3) one for the road 99(1) room 22 100(4) she caught it on the fly 104(1) a drink to that 105(2) sit and endure 107(1) out of the money 108(2) 4 cops 110(2) my girlfriend says it's all so easy 112(2) American Literature II 114(1) heartache 115(2) I cause some remarkable creativity 117(2) the cosmic joke 119(2) the death of the snowman 121(5) shut out 126(1) the machine gunner 127(2) 2 deaths 129(1) schoolyards of forever 130(3) beaujolais jadot 133(2) bar chatter 135(2) punched-out 137(2) counterpoint 139(1) 3 pairs of panties 140(1) this drunk 141(2) Casablanca 143(3) the saddest words I ever heard 146(2) the light 148(2) the closing of the bottomless bar 150(2) fame of a sort 152(1) never look 153(2) now the professors 155(3) the hatchet job 158(2) shack jobs 160(1) ground zero 161(1) my telephone 162(2) exactly right 164(3) 3. progress 167(2) Carter 169(3) two cats asleep downstairs and death itself no problem 172(1) the pro 173(3) pain like a black-and-white snapshot 176(2) Life, Death, Love, Art 178(8) sometimes when you get the blues there's a reason 186(1) the Word 187(2) my nudie dancer 189(9) I can't see anything 198(1) not exactly the sun 199(2) the doomed lady poet 201(2) the eternal horseplayers 203(1) first day, first job 204(3) long sad story 207(2) the theory of the leisure class 209(1) divorce 210(3) no wonder 213(2) macho hell 215(2) you know who's best 217(1) he died April 9, 1553 218(2) pick-up 220(2) it's all right 222(1) one of those crazy nights 223(2) urban war 225(2) good pay 227(4) panasonic 231(1) out of place 232(2) a great place, here 234(2) horses don't bet on people and neither do I... 236(2) my failure 238(2) in memory of a dead jock 240(2) repeat 242(2) now you know why we kiss the wall 244(2) that's who sent them 246(1) it's just me 247(4) then I know why 251(2) her only son 253(2) the wrong way 255(4) 4. I move to the city of San Pedro 259(4) be angry at San Pedro 263(2) lost in San Pedro 265(2) justice 267(2) a boor 269(4) out of the dark 273(1) for the foxes 274(3) poem for Brigitte Bardot 277(2) having the flue and with nothing else to do 279(1) a time to remember 280(1) ``I demand a little respect'' 281(2) pink silks 283(2) milk a cow and you get milk 285(1) oh, to be young in 1942! 286(3) the condition book 289(1) the kid from Santiago 290(2) room service 292(2) passport 294(2) darlings of the word 296(3) KFAC 299(2) it is good to know when you are done 301(2) TB 303(2) a song with no end 305(1) the lucky ones 306(2) spelling it out on my computer 308(1) crazy as a fox 309(1) cats and you and me 310(2) they need what they need 312(1) hello, how are you? 313(1) one thirty-six a.m. 314(2) harbor freeway south 316(3) gamblers all 319(1) guitars 320(5) no man is an island 325(2) an animal poem 327(2) eulogy 329(2) two writers 331(4) small conversation in the afternoon with John Fante 335(1) girl on the escalator 336(2) one learns 338(2) the beginning of a brief love affair 340(1) melodies that echo 341(2) self-inflicted wounds 343(2) racetrack parking lot at the end of the day 345(3) moving toward what? 348(2) if I had failed to make the struggle 350(2) wine pulse 352