For Erik and Courtney

I once called you the worst Buddhist ever

and I meant it
in the best possible way

it’s Thanksgiving
and I’m working

surrounded by weird Europeans Koreans the suicidal
Gary, Indiana’s finest drive-in accidents in Wal-Mart jeans

thinking of your limitless compassion

and being thankful for that

and Courtney’s limitless patience

which you should be thankful for

because there are not many girls

that would see a 6-ft-6 Danish Buddhist

w/ nothing on
but a dirty bathrobe
and a beer in hand

and stick around

but w/ Jesus in her heart
and a couple screwdrivers
she did

for 3 years

and then she married you

so this Thanksgiving

I say hallelujah for you Courtney

and hallelujah for you Erik

and hallelujah for you Jesus, Allah, Buddha, Todd
whatever your name is

you work in mysterious ways

© 2009 Lee Kitzis

Unemployment

I’m applying to jobs everyday
bullshit applications
just so I can collect a government check

one was to Wal-Mart
and another was to a Red Lobster in the ghetto

People suggest things to me

I should be an editor

or a barista

Starbucks they tell me
has great benefits

but I’d much rather play internet poker
in cum-stained lounging sweats

thinking of creative ways
to pay for my health insurance

because it’s eight degrees outside

and every job is the same

I apply to a hardware store
and a shitty Contemporary American restaurant chain
where they call the bosses “coaches”
and the hourly employees “champs”

and if any of these employers
calls me back

I’ll tell them

I’m in the middle of a hand

and hang up

and it’ll be

our little secret

© 2008 Lee Kitzis