Action Plan

Go through with it
the daily grind
until the great unwind.
Continue with
the gross overestimations,
the bad investments
of money or time
and keep on playing your chips
when it comes to love
or friendships
do it all with the artistry
of archery
even if it means
aiming for the bullseye
of a good cry
fake it
until you break it
and most of all
keep your journal
of to-dos
you did not
because this
French kiss of living
and vampire hickey
on the neck
of death
is all
that you’ve got

Over Complex

I know who
and what
you are
from your sequential
idiosyncrasies
and the polyrhythmic algorithms
of your speech patterns
and based on my graph
of your laugh
and the amount of
salt in your tears
and taking into account
your good and bad years
I deduce your use,
validity and relevance
in the current marketplace
of those who wish to be
in my space
and if you pass
this take home exam
then I am
willing to give you
the passcode to enter
my emotional wellbeing
now look into my iris
where you will see
your intentions reflected
good, no virus detected

The Last Match

There is somebody
out there for everyone
who is willing to strike
cinematic poses
in the rain
holding soaked roses
or who does not mind
the humiliation of
being the only one
in love
or who can flatter
at a moment’s notice
or pay for a fancy platter
and act like throwing down
one hundred bucks
for overcooked duck
really doesn’t matter
and you are guaranteed
to keep that
special one
if you can ignore
blatant off-white lies,
and distant distracted looks
in their hypnotic eyes
in exchange for
the hope that
they will be there
to light a candle
on that night
when the old cold wind
blows out the power
of your heart
and the light dies

Author, Author

I have been working
on a project
that involves
zero actual humans
and no tangible materials
the gist of this endeavor
is mostly me
and the alphabet
trying to be clever
the chance of it
being finished
any time soon are nil
but when it is done
like a comedian on fire
it is going to kill
this whole thing is
just an act of
cowardly heroism
egotism, as seen through
a self-involved prism
all that I can hope
is that when you read
my scrawlings on the
concave of your imagination
you will be
thoroughly shook
and you will then
tell everyone to
go read my book

—

Ivan Jenson is a fine artist, novelist and contemporary poet. His artwork was featured in Art in America, Art News, and Interview Magazine and has sold at auction at Christie’s. Ivan was commissioned by Absolut Vodka to make a painting titled Absolut Jenson for the brand’s national ad campaign. His Absolut paintings are in the collection of the Spiritmusuem, the museum of spirits in Stockholm, Sweden.

Jenson’s painting of the “Marlboro Man” was collected by the Philip Morris corporation. Ivan was commissioned to paint the final portrait of the late Malcolm Forbes.  Ivan has written two novels, Dead Artist and Seeing Soriah, both of which illustrate the creative and often dramatic lives of artists. Jenson’s poetry is widely published (with over 600 poems published in the US, UK and Europe) in a variety of literary media. A book of Ivan Jenson’s poetry was recently published by Hen House Press titled Media Child and Other Poems, which can be acquired on Amazon. Two novels by Ivan Jenson entitled, Marketing Mia and Erotic Rights have been published hardcover. Ivan Jenson’s new novel, Gypsies of New Rochelle has been released by Michelkin Publishing. Ivan Jenson’s website is: www.IvanJenson.com