Doug Draime

Doug Draime's latest chaps are, "Spleen" an online chap (Poetic Inhalation, 2005), "Unoccupied Zone" (Pitchfork Press, 2004),

"Slaves Of The Harvest" (Indian Heritage Publishing, 2002), andforthcoming from Scintillating Publications, "Spiders And Madmen".

Awarded PEN grants in 1987 and 1991. His poems and short storieshave appeared in 100's of print and online magazines since 1969. He

currently lives in Oregon.

Memory Of Vincent

He had everything down

to an exact science,

he said, as he arranged

his sparse belongings

in his cardboard dwelling,

to make room for me..

There was a stack of

newspapers in the corner

with a picture of a little girl

in a small silver frame,

sitting on top.

It was a snug fit but there was

more room in there than I had thought.

Once I was in and turned to face out,

I noticed a large backpack

and a small Coleman stove neatly packed

in a corner by the entrance.

He pulled out a pint of cheap whiskey,

that we’d pooled our money to buy.

We shared the bottle,

talking about the hostility

of downtown L.A. cops,

but nothing about ourselves;

Nixon was president

and we both hated him..

The rest of the time we sat quietly drinking and

watching the nine to fivers

drive down Hill street for home,

with pity in our eyes.