Poem by Kerry Zagarella

Poetic Heroes
for Jack Powers

A poem is always forced to begin
yet
words are not a birth announcement
poetry is not a baby picture
of wonder and purity of thought
or even exquisite simplicity of trained metaphor and translation

poetry is a belch
an involuntary build -up
it is not a claim to fame
it is not a hump towards fortune and name dropping
not a list of publications and connections
it is not a blessing

it is urgent
it is destined
a thief and beggar
it does not climb a ladder
but walks under with the black cat
it is riddled with acne
a desperate quest
that must be

he, mentally ill forever
she cannot speak, but does
one reads another
scratching
one holds another
welcoming

These 5 poets
in this loud library
are the faceless horsemen
they defeat multi-media mall blitzed
pushcart masturbation
begging of voyeuristic orgasm
they write to think
to breathe
they wish nothing more
of their poem
than survival

Kerry Zagarella has been involved in the greater Boston poetry scene for 30 years. She was a featured performer at Boston’s First Night celebration and toured as a member of the first Boston Poetry Slam team. Her work has been published in several magazines and collections including, A tribute to Brother Blue published by Yellow Moon Press and on a CD entitled, Beat Night at the Electric Café. Kerry is the reigning champion of the New Hampshire Writer’s Project and was awarded the Poetry Slam Master award.

Bill Perrault is a poet, photographer and the current videographer for Stone Soup Poetry, founded by Jack Powers 43 years ago today in 1971.