T

The Soul Of This Poem Is My Blood Sugar, Or Eating In The Small Room


for John Cassavetes

 
Tippi Hedren would be more nonplussed than me,
or you—I can’t remember who is who—but she’s playing herself,
hosting Dinner and a MovieThe Birds on cable, see?
It’s the first time she’s worked in ages—who’d blame her?
                                                                                            A chance
like Hitchcock afforded
only comes along once, sometimes,
and who needs more than that to ruin a career?
Not established like Stewart, or typecast like Perkins or Leigh,
she can still be counted on for earnest.
                                                            But sincere is no kind of disguise;
it’s hard to know who’s on the level in this biz.
You need to understand:
everything that’s in our frame
isn’t all we’re here for.
                                    A blood disease,
has to do with sugar,

Mark Parsons

Mark Parsons' poems have been published in Chariton Review, Contemporary Verse 2, Iodine Poetry Journal, subTerrain, Emerge, Mad Hat Lit, Wisconsin Review, and elsewhere.