Wednesday, June 6, 2012

James Babbs- Three Poems


May of 83

I went to see his car
the one he was driving that night
when he got drunk and drove it
off the road at high speed
the night he never came home
I went with my uncle and my father
somebody’s farm outside of town
where my father said they could leave it
I went with them to see it
because
I needed to know for myself
I didn’t believe it
even when they kept telling me
I knew it had to be
some kind of mistake
shivering as we walked behind the barn
before I saw the mangled body
the windshield shattered to pieces
the pain twisting in my stomach
that took my breath away


Beautiful Silence

I’m an asshole and don’t know
how to talk to people
she screams at me
before slamming the door
leaving me alone
sitting in the darkness
reaching for the bottle
pouring myself another drink
the beautiful silence
so soft and warm around me
maybe she’s right and
I am an asshole
but there are far worse things
than this in the world


My Heart Beating

the first time I told her
I loved her
we were lying together in bed
naked beneath the blankets
awash in the afterglow
her fingers brushing my arm
she didn’t look at me
but I heard her say
okay
I guess
I expected fireworks
going off in my head
I wanted some kind of
beautiful music playing
but all I got was laughter
spilling from the television
the sound of my heart
beating like a drum



I have published hundreds of poems over the last several years in print journals and online.  I live in the same small town where I grew up.  I work for the government but don’t like to talk about it.  I have a cherry tree and two grapevines in my back yard and several pesky rabbits.  My books are available from www.xlibris.com, www.lulu.com & www.interiornoisepress.com.

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