Scott Silsbe- A Poem

Saturday in the Park

Thank Christ I don’t

have to work today.

Just when my back

was about to give out.

I can turn my phone

off and sleep late

and drink coffee

and listen to jazz

and wander around

and sit in Schenley

and read Bukowski

or Stevens or maybe

even Norman Dubie.

And my head is clear

enough to collect my

thoughts some and

even maybe try to

write a little poem,

though not this one.

And all is well or

so it seems, but then

I miss a phone call

and the voice mail

doesn’t sound good.

Looks like I’m going

to have to take my

couple of vacation days

earlier than I counted on.

Scott Silsbe was born in Detroit. He now lives in Pittsburgh where he writes, sells books, and makes music with friends. His poems have appeared in numerous print and web periodicals including Chiron Review, Nerve Cowboy, The Chariton Review, Third Coast, The Volta, and the Cultural Weekly. He is the author of two poetry collections: Unattended Fire (Six Gallery Press, 2012) and The River Underneath the City (Low Ghost Press, 2013).