DEAR MARIA

dear maria
i do not know who you are
but somehow you’ve snuck your way into my poetry
so here we go

maria
as you go out into the night light
make sure to wear your coat
hold up
i’m not your fucking father, maria
do what you want to

maria
this may not be easy
you and me
we hardly know each other
but i have to write you a poem

dear maria
there’s a lot of people in this world
probably too many
the thing about people is
they really like to have sex
and sex without protection feels better
but it also creates more people
god is all about the conundrums

dear maria
are you god?
you might be
i don’t know you
but i’m certain you are out there
and i feel compelled to talk to you

dear maria
remember that in the scheme of things
we are the youngest people to ever live
and more people have died for you
than any time in history
assuming you prescribe to the concept of
linear time
but i feel like that’s important
either way
be grateful
when you’re hungry
be grateful
when you feel you’ve got it all
and you did it all yourself
be grateful
people drop dead all the time
also don’t fear death
or the idea that you could drop dead
right now

why am i compelled to give you advice, maria?
maybe i should shut my mouth and listen to you
put my ear to your sea shell heart
and hear the ocean

assuming you have a heart
maybe you’re a jellyfish
i think jellyfish don’t have hearts
do you know, maria?

maria
promise me this
sit on a wooden floor
with headphones on
and listen to a record player
don’t let it move the needle for you
move the needle for yourself
if there is no heaven
this is heaven
we are pretty good
at synthesizing our dreams
in the face of the fear
that they may not come true

dear maria
your heart will be broken
by an asshole
and you will be an asshole
and break someone’s heart
and then there’s another heartbreak too
oh yes there’s several kinds
but the kind i’m thinking about is the one
where neither of you was an asshole
when there’s just white noise between you
and you have to step away
that one has its own flavor of hurt
be ready for that one
but you can’t be
just a warning
a borderline useless warning

and plus
you might be old and wise and full of heartbreak
maria
tell me about your heartbreaks
are you in a place to tell me about your heartbreaks?

dear maria,
get dessert at salad buffets
another good option
is to avoid salad buffets

dear maria
i want to dance with you
not romantically
well maybe
but i think i want to dance with most people
people should dance more
and sing more
it drives me nuts that people give me strange looks
when i sing while i’m walking
keep singing
do not reduce yourself to humming
or whistling
avoid silencing your songs at all costs

but also
enjoy awkward silences
(

)
i have mastered them
i plant my garden in their empty plot

no maria
i am not on drugs
i am just a poet
and it’s one in the morning

dear maria
do not underestimate strangers
acquaintancy is the canvas of
strange sincerity
sometimes you can only unload
your hot irrational jukebox tracks
on bus stop furniture people

i love you, maria
that might not be real love
but right now it’s pretty good

dear maria
i cannot decide if i am sincere and dramatic
or facetious and random

have fun out there
writing with crayons on the walls of time
and throwing things into the void

hold onto this poem

COPYRIGHT BRICE MAIURRO 2015