Dusty Dusk

These days
I often melt into
the arms of chairs
and I find myself
gripping the banister
as I head down the stairs
and I prefer
to have guests
visit my thoughts
rather than actually
having them here
and I am selfish
with moments and often
search under furniture
to see if happier times
like my long lost dog
might be hiding
somewhere
and I was going
to keep these
dark musings
to myself
but after
careful, tearful
consideration
decided
to share

---

Jaded Journey

I move
through a dusty
cluttered room
to a paint-peeled door
that leads to a driveway
with weeds
punching through
where I get in
my old jalopy Ford
with its tattered seats
and start the elderly engine
which clears its metallic throat
and then I drive aimless
through the rain
on an errant errand
and distracted
by the rubbish
of redundancy
I briefly forget
that my to-do list
will one day
be all checked off
and come to
a bitter end

---

Low Profile

There is a lot
I could, should,
or would do
if I was brave
and bold
and outgoing
like cliff or
social climbers
but I tend to stick
close to home-base
rather than step outside
and chase
elusive opportunities
disguised as
attainable goals
most nights I stay in
and count wolves
in sheep’s clothing
and I never cease
to be amazed that
all my ambition
amounts to nothing more
than pillow fluffing

---

Flip Side

By day
I am that guy
who you assume
is alright because
he is gregarious
and seems like
he really could
care less
and by night
I am the
phantom gentleman
who carries himself
like a Casanova castaway
who kissed the world
and made it cry
sadly smiling
with an overbite
on a defunct
online dating site
a lonely non-smoker
who often asks
the darkness
if it would
like a light

---

Ivan Jenson is a fine artist, novelist and popular 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.