Ode to the Pilot V Ball
Don’t worry
It’s not bragging
You are extra fine
And I shall always
remember
That day we first met
On the corner of something
& whatever
In New York City
The Greatest City In The World
If you don’t count this town
Or any other town
My Girl happens to still be
sleeping in
at the time
& what’s that?
Hey V Ball!
You were hanging out
Next to the counter
Inside the stationary store
I was just looking for sketchbooks
On our way to the Bowery
Heading that way towards
Time Square
Meeting you was a nice surprise
You looked sharp
In your black plastic what-have-you-s
with Bach playing destinitically
in the background
(Wait! No it wasn’t! It’s playing
In the background now)
Either way, I bought
four or five of you
Glorious Fuckers
And brought you back here
To Colorado
Where one by one you died
Nobly and shit
Ink run dry
while jotting down
important shopping lists
unpublished poetry, various
sketches, things to do lists,
my little brother’s telephone
number, novel ramblings
Olive Garden haikus
Tyler Burba’s new Brooklyn address
Saturday afternoon movie times
Stuff like that
until
I’m at the point now, today
December 13, 2005 where
I’ve only got one of you left
And for some goddamned reason
They don’t sell you in Boulder, CO
You’ve been replaced by the V-5
But I say fuck the V-5
That’s not progress
Bloggers Unite!
One’s not enough!
What if it conks out
on me when I’m buried
in the middle
of writing down something
important?
What am I supposed to do then?
Go back tail tucked between my legs
to Uni-Ball?
Fuck that! I require a sturdy harem!
and If I must return to Manhattan someday soon
to rebuild it then so be it!
I’m not ordering
shit off the internet, got me?!
I’ll come and get you myself, and until then
I’ll embrace the typer
So you can rest
your ink tonight love
Reinforcements are coming
Until then, please don’t get all computer jealous on me
I’ve never trusted the damn thing
and you know it
I promise
When the backups
Arrive we’ll do it
Longhand again. Just like old times. Sound good?
Good.
Did you say ‘god’ or ‘good’?
Good?
All right.
(from my book I See You, Lewis. Baobob Tree Press)
Multiverse Johnson 