New Year Poem
︎︎︎ Jacob Seferian
︎ Apr 16, 2024
IN BED WITH AN UGLY
MOTHERFUCKER AGAIN SO I CLOSE MY EYES PRACTICE FOR WHEN I WILL FLINCH IN THE
MORNING CLEARLY I HAVE TROUBLE RESPECTING MEN GOTTA BE TRICKED INTO IT. I SAW A
TIKTOK WHERE A NATIVE AMERICAN ELDER SAID “TOO MANY PEOPLE BECOME THEIR SICKNESS”
WHICH INSPIRED ME TO BUY A PLANE TICKET TO THE GRAND CANYON. I TOOK THE TIME
OFF FROM WORK AND EVERYTHING BUT COULDN’T AFFORD IT SO I SETTLE FOR BIG EROSION
IN TOWN TAKING LONG MOODY WALKS FAT JAMES DEAN STYLE AND THINK OF THE WAY MY
LIFE HAS DEVOLVED FROM INDIRECT TO ACTUALLY AIMLESS AND THIS UPSETS ME. IT’S
JUST THAT I NEED TO GET LAID MORE I TELL MY FRIEND AT SOME BAR. WHISKEY LEADS TO KETAMINE LEADS TO COCAINE
LEADS TO HANGOVER ACHING TEMPLE FULL OF THESE FEELINGS BUT ENOUGH SELF PITY. I
WILL GO TO A GROCERY STORE AND BUY SOMETHING HEALTHY LIKE CHICKPEAS. THIS YEAR
I’M TURNING IT AROUND. I PROMISE. YOU KNOW ADRIENE THAT YOUTUBE YOGI MAYBE I’LL
DO SOME OF HER VIDEOS. I SAW A TRAIN THAT WAS CARRYING ONLY TRASH BAGS. LIKE A
METAPHOR. I DON’T WANT TO CHASE DEATH ANYMORE. A STRETCH OF SCAFFOLDING WITH NO
POSTERS… DOES THAT MEAN ANYTHING? BOY DOES JANUARY SUCK. TALKING TOO MUCH BLAH
BLAH BLAH TALKING TOO MUCH. I COULD STAND TO ROMANTICIZE MY LIFE A LITTLE MORE
THE WAY PEOPLE POST PICTURES OF THEIR OUTFIT TEXTURES OR A PRINT WITH NO FRAME
ON THEIR WALL WITH THE LIGHT HITTING JUST SO AND BECAUSE IT LOOKS BEAUTIFUL IT
MUST MEAN SOMETHING. RIGHT? RIGHT. AT THE RESTAURANT I WORK AT THEY MADE US
MEMORIZE WHAT WAS IN SAUCE AMÉRICAINE
BUT I STILL DON’T KNOW I STILL DON’T.
Jacob Seferian is a writer whose work has appeared in several magazines. He lives in New York City.