A.J. Kaufmann - Three Poems

Humble Cold

I take a look at everything, blessed
but disenchanted
on anxious figures in the dark
crawling forsaken
under iron heels
of time

Nomadic pain
utters so little, watching the night
uprising
without a chance for home

Seconds belong to me, the ashen cut
far from the young pretender
weeping at railroads and oceans
with corpses laying spread
sure of contrast
and fervor pressing love

Cooling my time, at windows
of sin, glowing like a lost mild bird
soaring with hopes but bound
with famine, asses singing with me
carrying the message of sun
safe in shadowy burn

Pallid thief
dressed in fluttered flutes
rolling angry, in vain
thru wishes of a shattered
interpreted world
hunting for laughter alone – cast
in the humble cold



Flashes with Tears

Gloat and mope on stars… one ancient midnight
angels smell your heart… sinking drums,
to you it’s life – calm listening voice, the long
met cold, dark blue eternity – world
has no senses… it rests beneath your lips
curls of soul, absolving… marble stays
here, waxes flow… walking on my skin
the green, the wide… grass rolling your
traveler’s touch… this is your morning
shadowy oaks enthrone chimera – born on names
of grief – harmony’s fainter, double
playing the blues on heavenly ladders
coy and young, she knows no salvation… walk
her out – streets, tone, dances, dragging
alone – fissures voicing the river
hearing those swinging roots, moon deep
pain praises dawning, wayfaring
the ocean renewed, while wood in fences
flashes with tears
below you



Deaf Critic

I'll go to Wal-Mart
get "Songs from a Room" (remastered), "Essential Leonard Cohen"
and a Panasonic Arc IV Wireless Men's Wet/Dry Shaver
in this way, I'll be putting across a social message
I'll save you some time
and I'll play deaf critic again
not cutting myself, like before, to rusty little
razorblade pieces



A.J. Kaufmann is a young Polish poet, songwriter and traveler, the author of "Siva in Rags" (KSE, 2008), "Pilgrims & Indians" (Deadbeat Press, 2008), "Broke Nuptial Minds" (Virgogray Press, 2009), "Vagabond Vacancy" (KSE, 2010) and other poetry chapbooks. A.J. blogs at http://kaballahfreighttrain.wordpress.com/
and is currently recording his debut solo CD, "Second Hand Man".