Frank
Messina
American't
Get Home
Each
night,
I'm greeted by the heart-burned cocktail
I take the cup and reluctantly
sip
as stomach acid slowly creeps upward,
stinging the walls of my throat,
causing my gums to swell,
rotting my teeth
The
fear is on my breath,
I know it's there because
I can smell it rise past
my nostrils
Fear. Stress. Anger.
Psychological warfare
upon the soft
American mind
that rests upon strong shoulders
and a barreled chest painted
red, white, black and blue
My
buddy, Joe Patel, at Kelly's Pub
says he dug for three weeks at ground zHero,
an ironworker-turned-trench-warfare grunt,
sculptured good looks
now
weathered by thoughts of
serrated concrete, twisted steel and spinal columns,
He
found no survivors, only broken flesh
and the disjointed terror of a workday
gone mad
James by
the jukebox says not to worry,
'don't let it bring me down',
but the beer
won't cool the fire in my belly,
nor the pain in young-widow Mary's heart
I
see the boys with their guns
getting ready for Armageddon,
their frowns
pushed in place
by cruel fingertips of revenge
and I'm stuck between a
bleeding
heart and dripping sword
If
peace were gold
it wouldn't be so hard to sell,
but, while the consensus
here in hell
is 'best be ready than dead'
some wait in the wings
for
next week's denial to sing,
but I'm just walking cautiously
with a stick
not-so-heavy
as my heart by my side
I'm
trying hard
to pry the box beneath my ribs,
let the light inside,
talk
of peace and love falls like
raindrops into a hot pot;
dissolved forever
Peace
exists only when we are free
but right now, shock gives in to grief
and
prayer becomes an only hope
and an only option
copyright
2001, Frank Messina
Of
Note On May 15th, 2006, Joe Patel (Purtill)
the "ironworker-turned-trench-warfare grunt"
passed away from
lung cancer. He was 41. Never smoked a cigarette in his life, his demise no doubt
was from his volunteer work amidst the dust of 9/11. Our thoughts and prayers
are with Joe and his family. Remember We Will, Forget We Will Not.
Frank
Messina and OctoPoet
-
Live at The BPC -
Messina
and OctoPoet with special guest, Sudan Baronian slide thru a medley
of the Spokeface favs at The Bowery Poetry
Club. Lensed by Robert O'Haire.
View the medley of
You
Will Not Break Me, Lead Me Not Into Temptation and Rhythm Vacuum
More
Video!
Frank Messina and OctoPoet -
Live at The BPC -
Resolutions
October
2nd, 2004 Messina and OctoPoet take the stage at The
Bowery Poetry Club and what was penned in 2001 is not much different as
we make for 2005. Lensed by Robert O'Haire. Click
Here to view the video!
Also view the classic, "Bicycle"
.
News
& Of Note! - Frank
Messina's 40th Birthday Celebration! - With
his all-star group,
OCTOPOET, featuring
Scott Murawski (of
Max Creek),
Robbie Gordon (of
Gil Scott-Heron's Amnesia Express),
Souren Baronian, Victor Jones, Jay Roosa (of
PaPa HooDoo)
with special guests
David Amram, Tyrone Cotton, Ron Whitehead, Dawn Lorentz take
the party toThe
Turning Point February 16th.
Also
Of Note! - The Pix and Video Are In!
- The Cams were there and caught the SoulProse Sights and Sounds
of this Party Night at The Turning Point! Click
Here To View The PhotoBook and also Click
Here To View the VidClip of
Ron Whitehead's kick off of the festivities with his PraisePoem, "Searching
for Frank Messina"
The
New CD from Frank Messina and Ron Whitehead!
"
Walking Home"
Includes
Frank's Mets poems, Playing
for the Mets and Just
a Game. This album features Kentucky legend Ron Whitehead,
country music singer Sarah Elizabeth, blues singer Tyrone Cotton
and Andy Cook. An eclectic spoken word and music album.
Click
Here to read Zoe Artemis' review of "Walking
Home"
Get
your own CD of "Walking Home" Click
Here!
For
more Messina, The Mets and Everything
Poetry! Click Here!
For
more on Frank Messina, go to www.spokeface.com
.
