Ivan Jenson

 

All Gone

they simply
stopped
stopping
by or calling
at ungodly hours
or demanding my
attention during
inopportune moments
asking for my advice
on street corners
they no longer
demand
to know how I feel
about them
pushing me up
against walls
pressing me
for promises
trusting me
with secrets
turning me onto
friends, songs,
or favorite haunts
they just don’t
bring me
into showers
with  them
anymore

Ball and Chain

when she was within
the jurisdiction
of your emotions
she often
attempted escape
from that medium
security
prism
and you would
search for her
with your
basset hound
eyes
until you
spotted her
unarmed
yet in the arms
of someone
who didn’t
sentence
her to
life
tethered to
passive
oppression

Giddy-up

and so
it was over
before it
ever ended
and it
could never
begin
to be the
fresh start
you were
hoping for
sometimes
it is best
to just
ride the
horse
midstream
through
your
midsummer
mid life
midnight
crisis


CP

Ivan Jenson is an artist and writer living in Grand Rapids, Michigan. His work has appeared  in Word Riot, Mad Swirl, O and S Poets and Artist Magazine, Blazevox, and many others. More about him can be seen at http://www.ivanjensonartist.com/

Ivan Jenson

Love Noir

it was a night
when the stars
converged
and the sky
schemed
and the dark
air spoke
volumes of mist
and the headlights
revealed
a spiraling
road leading
to his
brand new
femme-fatale
she would
with her
leggings
and her heels
be the end
of him
but the suspense
was killing him
anyway
so he drove on...
this poem
is a cliff-hanger

Origins

If I understand
correctly then this
all comes to a complete
stop at which point
everyone has to
deboard this
plane of
consciousness
of fools
at which point
we will
either arrive
at a permanent vacation
or a hellish hostel
or instead be
re gifted and
returned
and replayed
like a remake
that is as
thoroughly
enjoyable
as the
original


CP

Ivan Jenson has published widely in the US and the UK and received recognition for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's, New York. His poems have appeared in Word Riot, Zygote in my Coffee, Poetry Super Highway, Hidden City Quarterly, and many others. He now writes novels and poetry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Ivan Jenson

Drifter

because of something
someone said
you are gun-shy
at sundown


because of something
that someone did
you are no longer
trigger happy


because of
something
that happened
once
upon a time
in your west


like Clint Eastwood
you squint
your eyes
at the bright
glare of love

CP

Ivan Jenson has published widely in the US and the UK and received recognition for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's, New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Zygote in my Coffee, Poetry Super Highway, Hidden City Quarterly, and many others. He now writes novels and poetry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Ivan Jenson

This is for you

this is
for the afternoons
you went
out of your way
and those
nick
of time loans
that
rescued me
from eviction
and this is
for picking up
the phone
past midnight
and for the
long rides
to destinations
that were
so very important
at the time
and after
all the
dues we paid
together
this is
still true:

I need
help

CP

Ivan Jenson has published widely in the US and the UK and received recognition for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's, New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Zygote in my Coffee, Poetry Super Highway, Hidden City Quarterly, and many others. He now writes novels and poetry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Ivan Jenson

Time to Leave

I would leave you in a second
but I have no place
to go
everyone I know is
busy, too busy
for the likes of me
I would tell you how
I really feel
but I have nothing to say
that would not sound
overly dramatic
overstated
underwhelming
I could end this now
but I am too old
for beginnings
getting to know
someone new
at this point
would be like
relocating
and I like my hometown
I know my way around
cashiers and tellers
know my face
and I know theirs
is slowly changing
gray hair and gravity
and so I promise
I will never leave you
I will always be here
with you
loneliness

CP

Ivan Jenson has published widely in the US and the UK and received recognition for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's, New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Zygote in my Coffee, Poetry Super Highway, Hidden City Quarterly, and many others. He now writes novels and poetry in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Ivan Jenson

My Manuscript

Look what happened
to the truth and the facts
and the past
I have processed it
purified it
and brought it
to poetic justice
look what has become
of my pleasure
and my pain
I have changed
the names and
shuffled the particulars
and made something
of what is forever gone
as it was...there was no form
as it was...there was no arc
as it was...there were only
chance meetings
chance love affairs
chance of rain
and no chance
for anyone to share
in the melodrama
but now when they
read my manuscript
I can safely
lie when I say
“Of course you know
none of this is true.”

CP

Born in LA, Ivan Jenson was a prodigy in poetry and art. He moved to New York City where he received recognition and praise for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's New York. His poems have appeared Word Riot, Hidden City Quarterly, Thoughtsmith, Viral Cat, Poetic Desperation, and Bread & Circuses, among others.

Ivan Jenson

Simply Must

must
take a class
go
on a diet
make a new friend
travel

must
control thoughts
emotions
money

must
listen to Bach
or a bar band

must
order in
take out

or maybe
this must
not be
a very good
movie I am watching

CP

Born in LA, Ivan Jenson was a prodigy in poetry and art. He moved to New York City where he received recognition and praise for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Hidden City Quarterly, Thoughtsmith, Viral Cat, Poetic Desperation, and Bread & Circuses, among others.

Ivan Jenson

American Dreamer

years later
he would see her again
on the Broadway stage
and he would remember
that they once kissed
on the fire escape of
a loft party
so that is what became of her

after the show he walked
through Times Square
and he felt the false
hope of the bright lights
headed home
to his dump in the
East Village
pulled out his couch bed
and had himself
an American dream
and that is what became of him

CP

Born in LA, Ivan Jenson was a prodigy in poetry and art. He moved to New York City where he received recognition and praise for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Hidden City Quarterly, Thoughtsmith, Viral Cat, Poetic Desperation, and Bread & Circuses, among others.

Ivan Jenson

Supermarket Superstar

discovered in a supermarket
shopping for
deodorant
a new brush
and a candy bar
spotted by a scout
for the contours of
your amazing face
and promptly
signed to a contract
to appear
in an ad for
Maybelline
this has happened
but it is much
more likely
that you
will be lovingly
eyed by a stock boy
and never
even know it

CP

Born in LA, Ivan Jenson was a prodigy in poetry and art. He moved to New York City where he received recognition and praise for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Hidden City Quarterly, Thoughtsmith, Viral Cat, Poetic Desperation, and Bread & Circuses, among others.

Ivan Jenson

Two of a Kind

you are standing
within my boundaries
in my comfort zone
and my personal space
you wear my shirt
we talk with shared inflection
share pet names
fave songs and weekends
this is our same ol' scene
and we are going steady
as a Norwegian cruise ship
we might one day become
sun-burnt seniors holding
hands in lazy chairs
with kids and grand kids
running around the
blue pool of time
I get this feeling
we might
just make it
till death do us part

CP

Born in LA, Ivan Jenson was a prodigy in poetry and art. He moved to New York City where he received recognition and praise for his bold Pop Art. His Absolut Jenson painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Hidden City Quarterly, Thoughtsmith, Viral Cat, Poetic Desperation, and Bread & Circuses, among others.

Ivan Jenson

A lesson here

there is a lesson here
as you walk through
the empty playground
of the elementary school
as you step on
a chalk hop scotch
and pass a jungle gym
you feel like you are being
tested and graded
by an unseen principal
no they can’t touch you now
as you walk by benches
and the tether ball
they can’t stop you
from just walking out
of the gates
and no bell will
call you back
you already
heard what they
had to say
and it’s funny
because all
you can remember
is that you
should have told
Mrs. Melius
your sixth grade teacher
that you
loved her

CP

Born in LA, Ivan Jenson was a prodigy in poetry and art. He moved to New York City where he received recognition and praise for his bold Pop Art. His “Absolut Jenson” painting was featured in Art News, Art in America, and he has sold several works at Christie's New York. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Word Riot, Hidden City Quarterly, Thoughtsmith, Viral Cat, Poetic Desperation, and Bread & Circuses, among others.