MICHAEL MARROTTI

MICHAEL MARROTTI

"AN ODE TO PITTSBURGH"

Pittsburgh

is the kind

of place

that would

acknowledge

dirt as gold

instead of

diamonds

Contemptuous

of their own

Cold as the

winter season

People walking

around in shorts

when its snowing

Trapped on a

dead end road

Lacking logic

Incapable of

minding their

own business

What's the point

if there is no pain

No comprehension

It's the type

of place you leave

Renounce

your heritage

Andy Warhol

returned after death

But wouldn't

have been caught

dead here

when he was

still breathing

Perpetually known

as the steel city

The way

they treat

their own

Is a theft

of all things

labeled decent

"FOR MY FAMILY"

Pittsburgh is like

a bacterial infection

Running low

on amoxicillin

Bringing me down

like an anchor

Two faced people

come to my rescue

in shallow waters

A pretentious judge

and a biased jury

My inebriated mom

denouncing

alcoholic anonymous

Jewish lawyers

giving me a plea

Back on the streets

After the fight

of my life

Walking home drunk

Falling victim

to police brutality

From this scar

under my left eye

To the horrors

and apprehension

Staples in my head

first time around

at Mercy Hospital

To the birth

of both my sons

It's a sacrifice

to live here

Everyday

I put up with

this perpetual

hangover of

Pittsburgh

not for myself

but for the sake

of being close

to those who

matter most

I'm only here

Because

I love my family

"ANDY WARHOL'S OLD NEIGHBORHOOD"

My mother's plan

to live vicariously

through me

Worked like a charm

She named me

after an illustrious

artist of the

renaissance era

Unbeknownst to her

Jinxing me in return

I used to elbow drop

my Nintendo as a kid

And grew up to have

violent episodes

that took little

persuasion

I think its safe to say

Patience is a virtue

I never possessed

Four years is the

amount of time

it took to finish

the Sistine chapel

I'm rarely re-elected

My ex will attest

And prone to fits

of rage during

rush hour traffic

Maybe living in Andy

Warhols old neighborhood

would be inspiring

Which brings me to

where I'm currently at

Two generations of

failed artists

"ANOTHER DAY IN COURT"

Shitty attitudes

and dubious

weather conditions

The only thing

that's for certain

is this feeling

of indignation

There just ain't

no winning in

a town like this

Three or more

churches to

each zip code

Nothing has

been learned

by the final

judgment

Pseudo liberals

all high on

narcotics

Passing

themselves

off as good

decent people

When they're

fascist at heart

superficial

and fortified

with malice

I'm not up

for a debate

Or a senseless

argument

All I want is to be

left alone

So I can focus

on my writing

and the

ramifications

of a close minded

society all going

the same way

Each time I walk

out that door

feels like another

day at court

Offering me a plea

Defending myself

like I'm the one

who's guilty

"Reformation"

I'm at it again

Endeavoring

to reform

the world

through words

when I'm not

using actions

Poetry is

philanthropy

So is volunteering

I'm consistent

with both

Yet assholes

wanna challenge

the integrity

of my character

Ok, here we go

I'm a good person

with a bit of a

temperament

My last assault

was against

the police in Dormont

To me it was

self defense

If it wasn't for

my criminal record

I'd be involved

in distributing

you bodily harm

for pushing

my buttons

But I'll refrain

Leading by example

I'm a nice, decent person

MICHAEL MARROTTI

Poet Of The Month