Jesse James Ziegler, City of Reno Poet Laureate: Three poems with the exclusive publishing premier of “The Perfect Day”
The Ones
Merriam-Webster defines revolutionary as
constituting or bringing about a major or fundamental change
This is for the ones who are being the change
for the ones who help feed others souls
This is for the ones who help pick up the refuse as they’re walking by
and who stay late to have
those much needed conversations
This is for the ones who always seem
to call at the right time
know the right thing to say
and understand the times
not to say anything at all
This is for those who still give
when they don’t get
who still hug when they’ve been struck
for those who seem like lightning
in a bottle to others
but ordinary to themselves
This is for the ones who help lessen burdens
others may be ill advised
ill prepared or inexperienced to handle
The ones who see and feel others pain
This is for the ones who get in early
stay late and grind when no one is watching
The ones who can take the long view
This is for the ones you’ve known the longest
who have your back unwaveringly
The ones knocking at the door when you’re sick, depleted or down
This is for the ones you need the most
The ones the world needs more of
The ones who turn down the glare a bit
Who light up a darkened heart
who turn down the static a bit
Who light up a darkened room
who turn down the noise a bit
Who light up a darkened world
This is for the ones who notice the little things
Who appreciate the details
and who go the extra mile
This is for the ones running on fumes
without a refueling station in sight
who pause and breathe long enough
to see others stranded on the side of the road
in need of a ride
This is for the ones who check to see
if everyone has a ride
If everyone has eaten
If anyone needs a drink of water
or to go to the bathroom
This is for the ones who know and feel
who see and realize
who own and empower the truth of the matter
In a war torn world of inequity and injustice
In a mismanaged world of corruption and abuse
In a depraved world of greed and emptiness
In a lost world of misinformation and fleeting fame
the most revolutionary thing one person can do isn’t to fire a gun, drop a bomb, start a war or overturn a government
the most revolutionary thing anyone can do
is love
The Perfect Day
Now I’m not sure how I can take down a King Arthur supreme pizza from Round Table, French Onion soup from Beaujolais, a carne asada burrito from Beto’s, a number 13 from Port of Subs, pancakes from Peg’s, fried catfish from M&M Cafe with a full jar of Sweet Tea and Sweet Potato fries (because I’m nowhere near sweet enough) and wash it all down with an Ube latte from Sip of Saigon all in a single day. (Especially without gaining an ounce) But it’s my day so I make the rules, and we’re not talking about a last meal in San Quentin, so I’m sure gonna try.
And I’m not sure how I’m gonna get all that food and beverage to Desolation Wilderness in the Sierras on a sunny day in the snow while keeping a roaring fire going, watching 27 senior doggies frolicking, wrestling with my pet Kodiak bear, riding my companion Buffalo, swimming with my pet ducks and my pet river otters, and howling with my Wolfies (who’ll yield the right-of-way to the pack of senior doggies) But it’s my day, so I make the rules, and I’m sure gonna try.
And I don’t know how we’re possibly going to fit in a round of disc golf, an epic hike, a session of ice skating (in hockey skates of course because fuck a toe pick), a kayak ride to the island in the center of Emerald Bay, a pick up game of football (Kodiak bear on my team obvi ), a relaxing wood carving segment, and swimming at the base of a waterfall into a single perfect day, But it’s my day, so I make the rules, and I’m sure gonna try.
But however it works out between all of God’s creatures getting along peacefully, keeping the ducks out of my sweet tea, tending the fire all the while, and of course my beautiful Rueby there with me to help snap pics, let me kiss her a ton, and hold hands in the snow, But it’s my day so I make the rules, and I’m sure gonna try.
And I do know this. By the end of the day, before the clock struck midnight and my 1958 red and white ragtop corvette turned back into a pumpkin, we’d all gather round (the ducks, otters, bears, wolves, buffaloes, senior doggies (every dog I’ve ever had magically brought back to life for one more glorious day), my tropical bird Tulsa, and all of the beautiful humans who’ve ever been a part of my life and left an indelible mark on my soul, all of us, for the most epic poetry reading of all time. Just like this. We’d clink glasses, we’d link arms. We’d hug. We’d laugh. We’d share. Everyone would get along. Nobody would feel unsafe. No one would be made to feel unwelcome. Everyone’s aches and pains would magically float on to the tune of a mighty modest mouse. And we’d pray for each other over the fire. We’d pray that no one would have to go back to work (unless they wanted to). No one would ever be hurt or feel afraid again. Everyone would feel whole, uplifted, heard, and loved.
And I don’t know how all of the logistics on this are gonna work out, But it’s my day, so I make the rules, and I’m sure gonna try.
Curtain Call
That’s why the tomb was empty. Jesus was rehearsing the curtain call.
There are time honored traditions being carried out in houses all over the globe, and these houses, most of them, are made of brick, mortar, steel, wood, adobe, earth and stone meant for a small handful of kin to dwell within at most, down to those who live alone.
Some houses are made of cardboard, tarps, and trash bags which have been cut at their seams to open up coverage.
Some houses however are built upon the foundation of hopes and dreams, using the framework of craft and storytelling, with a sturdy roof of imagination, intricate fixtures to accentuate the narrative, meant for the public at large to thrive within.
There are time honored traditions being carried out here as well. I am of those. Playhouses where let’s pretend is commonplace and creating the world anew is a daily practice.
I suppose that’s why this poet fell for theatre as a second love, shortly after my first thunderbolt struck in the form of verse, because my dreams are big enough to fill an entire stage, my voice can reach out to the back row and up to the stars at the same time, the heart on my shoulder tends to rub off on others and anything is possible on the page or the stage.
There is one time honored tradition within the world of theatre which I will wave my magic wand over and adopt henceforth.
Such a gesture is long overdue and I’m in the midst of writing a show now. A tradition outside of the performance itself. When the music’s over as the Lizard King once said.
Some see life as a comedy, Some as a tragedy, Others a test, a game, or a gift. Those can all be true as my attention drifts. I’m more concerned about what comes next, When this perplexing production ends.
You see in my show there are the same wars we have here, the same glossy political ads, the same lies, same betrayals, and same murders. But, in my show, everyone gets to come back out at the end to cheers
So everyone can know when this show is over the entire cast of characters gets to return to the stage, holding hands, taking a bow together, at first individually, and then in unison.
Heroes and Villains, Children and the Elderly, Men and Women and all those who prefer not to say.
Trees cut down tragically early, well before their time, Those burned down in wildfires, and the ones left to grow long enough to give everything they could ever give, a bountiful harvest, Holding hands together
Chadwick Bozeman and Sidney Poitier come out on either side of Selena and the entire line of three are wearing matching Hawaiian shirts with leis and smiles just as bright
My friends Donald and Darrick come out together nervously and excitedly for they’re finally going to be able to celebrate their twenty first birthdays together at the massive after party lovingly prepared by Anthony Bourdain
PAC and Biggie come out together holding hands and take their place in line beside Nipsey and Emmet Till who are already there.
Malcolm and Martin come out together laughing and smiling red ink still fresh upon their costumes
My Mother-in-Law St. Erma, My Dad, my Mom’s walking partner Susan, and their dear friend Brooke all come out together and I’m smiling so intently at the National Geographic Monarch Butterflies hoodie my father’s wearing as a nod to my Mom that I almost don’t even notice the gray in his hair has been washed out and the lines on his face have been wiped away already.
Kurt Kobain and Billie Holiday come out together waving to the crowd smiling and blowing kisses
All the nice folks from the Pulse nightclub in Orlando along with those from Club Q in Colorado Springs would come out along with the students at Sandy Hook and they’d all take their place in line.
Gandhi and Mac Miller come out holding flowers in their teeth and pirouetting downstage to raucous applause while the kids from Tech in Blacksburg, Uvalde, Parkland, Santa Fe and Stoneman Douglas are playing their meanest air guitars as laughter abounds
Sharon Tate, Natalie Wood, Nicole Brown Simpson, and Princess Diana come out together starting the giant beach ball into the nearby audience
Most are standing by now wiping away tears bearing witness to their own soul’s revival
Prince and Bowie light saber battle downstage before taking their place in line beside Betty White who’s arm in arm with Robin Williams
Trayvon’s popping all the skittles his heart desires until the company bow at the very end
George Floyd’s pretending to have a bird on his shoulder and Sam Cooke is bringing it on home to me in my show
The missing and murdered indigenous women those deemed small enough to fall through the cracks in the system get to return and listen laughing, smiling, and hearing you cheer for them the way they so richly deserve in the show I just wrote
There are no understudies in this show but it feels like a church revival and there will be a grand reunion. Y’all are getting the early waits on those pearly gates
And me? I’m content with the show I’ve written. happy to wait in the wings watching others get theirs
I am a playhouse, anything is possible within me. If you choose to be of those anything is possible within you as well.
We’re all getting to touch stage in this magnificent show. So let’s hold hands and smile, turning toward each other as we take our final bow together.
More of Jesse James Ziegler:
Profile here.
Interview here.