1/7/2018 Poetry by Marc Tissenbaum i wen† lef† CC McDonald’s on South Broad Street there is no Happy Meal here with the Wedge Recovery Center, the fast food joints stacked up junkies sleeping in the doorways by the bus stop this is that other Philly the tourism office doesn’t promote today with wind and snow howling, this bomb cyclone and no water at the house so here I am, looking for a toilet and the cashier screaming may I help you, may I help you, may I help you as I walk by the counter toward the men’s room it’s not a question she’s asking it’s an, I-know-what-you-want-motherfucker-and-you-better-order-first I tell her, I’ll order, but I’m about to shit my pants right now she glares, but hits the buzzer to let me in the bathroom there’s resistance at the door a trashcan pushed up against it from the inside a man is yelling, indignant, you can’t come in here and I see his reflection in the mirror sitting on the toilet, needle in his arm I’m fucking up his high and I almost feel bad I turn to go and face you-said-you-was-gonna-order changed my mind, I say, and step back out into the storm ![]() Bio: Marc Tissenbaum grew up working on a family farm in West Virginia, received a a B.A. in Journalism from Marshall University, moved to Boston in time for The Pixies/Throwing Muses/Zulus era of music, went to write about business research at the University of Georgia, and was laid off during the massive George Herbert Walker Bush recession. He then earned an M.F.A. in Creative Writing from Vermont College, went to work for--and bailed on--the poorly executed 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, GA. He stayed in Athens, GA where he played music and worked as a club doorman, janitor, ghostwriter, waiter, house painter, carpenter's assistant, farmer, organic landscape gardener, and grocery clerk. He's traveled, somewhat extensively for a U.S. American, visiting Canada, Cuba, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru, England, Scotland, The Netherlands, France, Germany, Italy, Austria, Spain, The Czech Republic, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Turkey and Morocco. He moved to Philly in October 2016 and is still trying to find his place and way in the world. Comments are closed.
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