GRAN TORINO didn’t win shit

by John Rocco

“Pabst Blue Ribbon and a shot of Jack,”
the tough old guy orders, growling,
Clint Eastwood, Holy Dirty Harry,
The Man with No Name
the tombstones reeking of
whiskey and rot.
I join you now
old hero
in 4,508 Pabst Blue Ribbons
and a roaring river of Jack
until drowning in it
I realize the truth.
These are her drinks
the innocent beer
and the damned sour mash
filling her pictures with props
and my head with violins,
violent violins in
PLAY MISTY FOR ME
slashing at the neck of time.
Thanks, old tough leather guy
HIGH PLAINS DRIFTER
for the poncho and cigars.
Thanks for blowing that
bridge up with Tuco
the Civil War
an Italian painting
thrown up in Spain
with always too much wine.
Thank you for the punks
you blew away
each one a childhood enemy
who deserved better but
got the worst
from the most
powerful handgun
in the world
killer love and the movies
stuffed in the big blasted bullets.


*John Rocco at MySpace:
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=292819823