South Central Region

Van Gogh’s ear

found it in the gutter

downtown Chicago

picked it up

put it in my pocket

now it goes everywhere i go 

never leave home without it      

the FBI found out

invited me to a

mandatory interview

they consider Vincent subversive

a terrorist of art

but a terrorist

just the same

they gave me crayons

blank paper

told me to draw something

i colored red white & blue

planes dropping bombs & food

on poor people

they were convinced

i was a-ok

today i held it close

to my own ear

wanted to hear

what it hears

i listened for a long time

the silence almost

drove me crazy