"Star Spangled Poet"

I Wanna Be a Poet
A Rebel
Icon spouting fiery language
the veneer of revolution
without the substance
yelling words mouthing
Che t-shirt wearing
shit
man, I'm bad.

I wanna be a star
in whiskey-sour saloons
wanna-be language-wearing
conscience-breaking all-American
streetcorner rabble-rousing
curiosity
wave my arms around
look sincere
that's right
beatified halo effect
in the spotlight
drum the rhythmn
impress the women
in the smoky
red-lit barroom
jazz the room
syncopated. . . .

Che was cool, man
dig that cat
don't know why he was in the jungles
when he coulda been a poet
coulda been a contender in a slamfest poetry match
havin' swingin' fun with words
role-playing vibe language sounds,
brother,
with no meaning or action behind them.