Eulogy at the End of a Production Kitchen Shift

I was halfway through 25 lbs of pesto
when I got the call that you died

You took a walk
went into a building
they said it wasn't good
and you never came out

Simple as that

I went back to work
everything seemed
mechanical, sick

The blade groaned
it was useless

delicious
but useless

No funeral
just a party
you said

you look past the sickness
you look past the veil
and you toast

so I'll do that

and I'll probably bring up
how you looked just like Ted Danson
and how you hated when I told you that

and we'll laugh

He's a handsome man, Tom

get over it

© 2014 Lee Kitzis

Miracles

I’m on the bus heading to work
my stomach is killing me
a vegetable cleanse the Mrs. and I are doing

An old black man in a fisherman’s cap is reading from the bible
He is an ordained member of the ministry of bus yahoos

I can tell by everyone’s face
they’re not having it

Especially the old Jewish ladies in the handicap section

He’s blocking the exit
for Jesus
He’s yelling
for Jesus
The kids are drawing dick pics and Latin King tags on the walls
for Jesus

And the #50 plods on
the driver working the brake
contemplating night school

He won’t do it

Too many tiny miracles at home

Too many big ones screaming on the bus

© 2014 Lee Kitzis

Dave and Buster

Today I lost my in-law's dog
and an old friend from the liquor business

the friend by accident

the dog
like most good old dogs
and most good old people
just got tired

lied down
and didn't get up

the cats start fighting

yowling and growling

I pour a Benchmark neat

and listen to the kids play basketball

then Mingus pisses on the plant

If you listen to the dead

they tell you to move on

So here I go fellas

here I go

goodnight Dave

goodnight Buster

sorry plant

© 2014 Lee Kitzis

Albany Park

When insomnia has finished staining your eyes

w/ the perpetual winter
the crows have picked clean

the wonderment of junkyards
you have fallen deeply out of love with

and now
you are left w/ steel and granite
and a bottle of wine
in the Mexican neighborhood
your grandma warned you about

the raises have been small
and the murders have been many

the mailman has a flamethrower

the squirrels have knives

the robin reported a break-in
in the tree

and the cops never showed

Oh, god

I don't ever want to leave this place

© 2014 Lee Kitzis