the pitch

by Marty Shambles

step right up folks
step right up!
come see the amazing analog poet
watch this human anachronism
use an organic computer made of skull goo
to formulate sentences never before
uttered by man or machine.
step right up and find yourself loving
your neighbor like family,
but the family you like,
not the ones you don't talk to anymore,
because now is the time to be inspired!
now is the time to value art and connection
more than getting one over on the other guy.
step right up and see your soul refracted in syllables,
see your name written in lights,
see the love of language rain down
like a sudden shower in the sun.
step right up and let a poet write for you
the words you didn't know you needed.
know the value of human craftsmanship
unencumbered by ones and zeros!
because life is not a binary.
there are shades and nuances that no
machine can comprehend.
come see the fledgling poet
who yells out over the crowd
YES THERE ARE STILL THINGS WORTH FEELING!
YES WE'RE WORKING ON NEW WORDS IN THE LABORATORY
THAT WILL SEND YOU INTO RAPTUROUS REVERIE!
YES WHEN THE RIGHT PHONEMES ARE ENCODED ON PAPER
THAT IS INDISTINGUISHABLE FROM MAGIC!
rejoice in this human pursuit!
rejoice in the vibrancy of subjective experience!
step right up and get some culture
without the war.
You deserve better words!

Photo of Marty Shambles’ filthy-ass typewriter

BIO: Marty Shambles is a Pushcart nominated author. Poet laureate of railroad tracks and greasy spoons. He’s been published in a lot of places you’ve never heard of. He lives in Texas and has a GED.