Joseph Trombatore
11:33 A.M. POEM
Claudia says about a
beer buzz I just don’t
get it & margaritas give
me heartburn bad heart
burn a field of radishes
heartburn I say a good
beer buzz makes for a
smooth poetry reading
a great poker face when
your hand is anything
but 4 aces & standing
you hold a cigarette with
more confidence can
slap the little lady on the
cheek with a kiss like
Bogart behind the camera
look real slick in a black
London Fog can hold up
a lamppost with greater
ease balance on a tight
rope above snapping croc
odiles & not sweat a drop
more prone to take less
showers shave less brush
your teeth less certainly
don’t need no stinking
deodorant in fact you be
come one good looking
hunk of man in front of
the mirror when you’re
all alone with a cold one
Bio: Joseph R. Trombatore is an artist and poet whose work has appeared in: Travois: An Anthology of Texas Poetry, Right Hand Pointing (online), Journal of the American Studies Association of Texas, and elsewhere. His poetry collection, Screaming at Adam, was awarded the Wings Press Chapbook Prize in 2007, and one of his poems received the 2011 Larry D. Thomas Poetry Prize (REAL, Regarding Arts & Letters). Other honors include two Pushcart Prize nominations and a Best of the Net Anthology nomination. Former Poetry Editor of: The Houston Literary Review (online) and Founder/Publisher of the defunct online journal, Radiant Turnstile, he now resides in San Antonio.
Wild Goose Poetry Review 
Joseph, I love how this poem pulls you through every line. I’ve read it over and over and I like it more each time I read it!
Thanks Kelly, it is from a full length collection I did over the past few months. I always look for different styles to work with, & this one just came upon me. A sort of free verse diary. I should get busy & start submitting more of them for publication…Joseph