CHRIS TSE
Artist’s impression of the poet is not drawn to scale
This is the poet behind the mask
of a matinée idol
who has no emergency contact
and whose love songs are built
with gender-neutral pronouns.
Many are surprised that the poet is shorter
in real life, yet is still as susceptible
to mythology as the rest of us.
*
There are points
in the poet’s life that cannot be accurately
rendered by any artist
or the poet himself.
Well, you’re obviously a crap painter,
said the art teacher to the poet.
What stress, if any, to place
on the young poet’s arm
caught in a clothing recycling bin
or his hand thrown
through the glass of his front door?
*
This is the poet masquerading
as a rock star
as a local celebrity
and in this piece:
as a rugby player
as a straight man
cutting through the pack
to score the winning try
while the crowd cheers
PO-ET! PO-ET!
He doesn’t bother looking out
towards the stands for that special someone
or something. The mud caking his face
gives way to tear-tracks and a flash of guilt:
to play this championship game
he left a poem to walk home alone.
This is the poet as neglectful father.