Herbless Pursuit
‘Herbless Pursuit’ is a surreal urban poem set in Manhattan, blending street encounters, chess, cinema and hidden exchanges into a journey through New York’s restless underworld.
Nearly beat him at
speed chess on 42nd Street
How did you get out of that mess? Sensed defeat
Defenceless king
prostrated
on the worn chequered floor
He said cats hanging out on 9th Avenue
Say Jay sent you and y’all be cool.
II
Along the dilapidation on this Avenue
hustler eye balled while doing his thing
XXX shop on the fringe
whispers
stare ‘Jay’
clicked – all is well
a nod reassures with ease –
III
Hands on a stuffed out genial bag – $25 swell
demand to smell –
make sweat
out the pen –
back against the wall:
eyes gleam red
on rage
IV
Exchange goes through
V
Munching nuts in the Times Square cinema
Sizzling off the reels is Jungle Fever
Plucked
out the pocket
whiffing & this aroma
resembles a pungent parsley.
Bag dashed under the seat &
brooding down the aisle.
VI
In a Bronx pad on Mickle Avenue
Conversing with Greg from Jamdown.
‘The Spicy, the spicy, the new, nooooo,’
Palm raised up to a herbless pursuit.
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