out of the gate

 
 
 
 
it was between 95-96,
somewhere in there
 
stopped by a favorite  
coffee shop for a cup  
 
on the wall behind the
counter was a sign for
a poetry contest
 
100.00 for 1st place,
50.00 for 2nd and  
25.00 for third
 
I asked about entering  
 
the barista told me the rules,  
then told me about the
kinds of poetry she liked:
 
sonnet's, ballad's, sestina's
and villanelle's  
 
I didn't know shit about
it then,
still don't know shit about
it today  
 
she told me poets who
were known in the area
had entered  
 
she asked,"do you want
to enter?"
 
"sure," i responded, and asked
for a pen and some paper
 
I jotted down five lines and  
handed it to her
 
she read it,
i saw her eyebrows rise
 
a week later i received a  
call telling me i had won  
3rd place:
 
25.00,  
free coffee
and a read of my work  
to the public  
 
and that was that
 
the night came and went,
everything was good
 
the barista said that she
dug my work,
then told me about my
writing style and form
 
i thought
 
WELL SHIT!
 
I didnt have the courage
to tell her that i just write  
down random thoughts,  
 
neurotransmitters that
jump the rails, then  
crashes and burns in  
a field of cow crap  
 
there
 
now you know the
truth