A.D. Winans

A..D. Winans is a native San Francisco poet, writer and photographer. His work has been published internationally and translated into several languages. He is the former editor and publisher of Second Coming, and the author of 45 chapbooks and books of poetry and prose. Recent books include This Land Is Not My Land (Presa Press) and The World's Last Rodeo (BOS Press). In 2004 a song poem of his was performed at Tully Hall in New York City.

REAL LIFE AIN'T ON TV

the Mafia and the

CIA the perfect

bride and groom

whore, pimp killer

a real thriller

turn on the tv and see

Miami Vice

Marty Robbins white sport coat

and pink carnation getting it on

at Rosita's Cafe

and all those ladies

be they from the street

or undercover cops

waiting to bust your chops

and why is it that everyone

in Florida looks like a Cuban?

there has to be something more in life

than Salsa dancing

if you think my wallet is filled

with plastic you're dead wrong

there's nothing there but an old

$5 bill and the words

to a gangster song

you'll have to forgive me

but I think I'll pass on carrying

your stash through Miami International

I'm still bummed out from that affair in Austin

where everyone was stoned

even the Custom agents and their dogs

I think I'll just head back to San Francisco

where high time is Miller time

where no one drops a dime

and poems don't have to rhyme