Poems by Michael Lee Johnson

I’m a Riverboat Boy, Poem on Halsted Street (V2) As sure as church bells Sunday morning, ringing on Halsted near State Street, Chicago, these memories will be soon forgotten. I stumble in my life with these words like broken sentences. I hear and denounce myself in the distance, mumbling chatter off my lips. Fragments and …

Poems by Michael Lee Johnson

Cracker Jack Box Poem   I don’t wear my pocket watch anymore it reminds me of my age, 73, soon more, outdated gadget, time hanging where moving parts below don’t belong nor work anymore. I don’t like to think about endings. Age is a Cracker Jack box with no face, modern speed dial, no toy inside, …

Waltz, Footprints in Snow (V2)

By Michael Lee Johnson December 24th, I find footprints in this snow, yours frozen, our broken dreams. Will your lawyer Grinch my wallet, fleece me while I pray to Jesus Christ tonight? Even the devil stoked in flames has standards, jukebox baby. Even Jesus suffers with the poor, feels lonely on winter moon distant planets. …

Rose Petals in a Dark Room (V3)

By Michael Lee Johnson   I walk through this poem one step at a time. I walk in a mastery of this night and light my money changers walk behind me they’re fools like clowns in a shadow of sin, they’re busy as bees as drunken lovers, Sodom and Gomorrah before this salt pillar falls. In …

Rain (V2)

By Michael Lee Johnson   In the rain, this thunder on his way home he rebelled. He a disco dancer, single Friday night award winner on the floor.  High school dropout. He drove off the road edge. He was drunk, Jack Daniel’s was his driving instructor. Jack Daniel bottle left at grave. It never rains …

Michelangelo: Painter and Poet (V2)

By Michael Lee Johnson   Michelangelo with steel balls and a wire brush wishing he was wearing motorcycle leathers, going wild and crazy, stares cross-eyed at the Sistine Chapel ceiling- nose touching moist paint, body stretch out on a plank, bones held by ropes from falling- delirious, painting that face of Jesus and the Prophets …

Poems by Michael Lee Johnson

Reincarnation (V4)   Next life I will be a little higher up the pecking order. No longer a dishwasher at the House of Pancakes or Ricky’s All Day Grill, or Sunday night small dog thief. I will evolve into the Prince of Bullfrogs.  Crickets don’t bother me. Swamp flies don’t bother me–I eat them.  Alligators I avoid. I …

Poems by Michael Lee Johnson

Chicago Street Preacher (V4)   Street preacher server of the Word, pamphlet whore, hand out delivery boy, fanatic of sidewalk vocals, banjo strummer, seeker of coins, crack cocaine and salvation within notes. Camper on 47th from Ashland to California promoting his penniless life, gospel forever Kingdom drifter here comes your reward.   Fig Tree (V2) Fig tree, …

Just Because, Bad Heart

By Michael Lee Johnson Just because I am old do not tumble me dry. Toss me away with those unused Wheat pennies, Buffalo nickels, and Mercury dimes in those pickle jars in the basement. Do not bleach my dark memories Salvation Army my clothes to the poor because I died. Do not retire me leave …

Old Men Walk Funny

By Michael Lee Johnson Old men walk funny with shadows and time eating at their heels. Pediatric walkers, prostate exams, bend over, then most die. They grow poor, leave their grocery list at home, and forget their social security checks bank account numbers, dwell on whether they wear dentures, uppers or lowers; did they put …