im a self made man

said the stud in the 

backlit 

studio a small-screen personality of 

the glorious yesterday leaned over

a curvy glossy desk and listened

with frank disinterest though he was very 

good at pretending to care to the nobleman

in the lounge chair next to him as I 

was saying, 

said the stud, ive not always been this 

rich you know when my pappy died god bless 

him of a heart

attack when i was fourteen he 

left my oldest 

brother his business my second 

oldest brother his car and me

his cat he pauses and looks 

around the 

backlit 

studio to gage the reaction

of his audience 

what the hell are 

you supposed to do with a cat i 

asked my fourteen-year-

old self but i took that cat and 

with a little bit of elbow

grease and the grace of god i 

got myself a better car a better business

than either of my brothers could

ever afford and that ladies

and gentlemen is 

the american dream i did it all by myself and

if i 

could do it you can

too

 

~~~~~~~

 

Behind the backlit studio,

A cat wears boots with steely toes.

He watches through an open door

His owner’s self-created lore

Continue to confound the crowd.

He thinks, “Best for him to enshroud

America’s no place for dreams. Unless

You have a guide.” He leaves his place

Behind the studio to scheme

Up more wealth for the stud’s name.