Oddball Magazine will be publishing ongoing tributes to José Gouveia to in the hopes of raising awareness of the Joe Gouveia Recovery Fund, an effort to help offset the costs of the poet’s upcoming cancer surgery.

 

For Joe and His Beat Motor Scooter

Hey Joe hang up the colors for now
The ones with the picture of Ginsberg
Kerouac and Burroughs on the edges

As beat as your old scooter
With its faded paint
And worn out tires

Never really beautiful but
She does keep the rubber on the road

And the seat is well worn
Evidence of two asses

The peg is bent

Which indicates as well as anything
The reason why they call it dope

Put a tarp down in the living room
It’s time to strip the engine
Pull the carburetor
Rework the timing

While you’re at it
Re-chrome the pipes
Give her a new coat of paint

But leave the peg bent
As a reminder

Have her ready for a putt
Come next spring

 

Len Germinara lives 26 miles out to sea with the woman he loves, a dog he adores, and two cats he finds mildly amusing. He hosts along with Sarah Oktay, the long running poetry series Spoken Word Nantucket.

Oddball Magazine will be publishing ongoing tributes to José Gouveia to in the hopes of raising awareness of the Joe Gouveia Recovery Fund, an effort to help offset the costs of the poet’s upcoming cancer surgery.