May 1, 1953 to May 1, 1978
5:00 p.m .
poetry by Michael F. Nyiri
"Lyrical Nostalgia & Foolish Nonsense" Ambitious Undertaking in Poetical Thought A "Birthday Chronology" 1953 born scars heal head wounds first words-antidisestablishmentarianism "ma-ma" 1954 one sis is born helping "ma-ma" irrigate the yard two gallon can brimming water crying in the dark 1955 two auto piled with boxes sitting between the mess staring at my stuffed dog 'nikki' watching me watching him listen to the foam filled dog comforting phrases through the ride 1956 three california the beach danny hospitals in los angeles 1957 four standing with mary by the bee tree watch out don't get stung ouch mommy that hurts danny looks funny crawling towards his first step 1958 five school begins forever-no need for kindergarten tall chubby boy walks beside me when mommy can't paper & paints kimberly 1959 six mommy what's that? a blimp oh my betty boop & chucko the clown and howdy doody and a tv with doors that hide the screen and moving again no more sneaking away from school to travel under the street in that strange tunnel 1960 seven taking books home to read ahead of the class wait-why does my ears hurt mommy "you're my little genius, you'll be all right" come to school when I feel better stay one half a day 1961 eight bucky beaver crush on lucy afternoon's at greg's house his father looks so strange balancing beers on his fat stomach as he watches football games- -playing moby dick with the gang trying to tease-and hanging around the girls mike's a sissy why does he hang around girls? 1962 nine fashioning dinosaurs out of papier mache "mike, you sure have talent" "my little genius" everyone is praising me why? girlfriends- playing tetherball with susan during movie time spending time in the principal's office "mike, you're much better than this." 1963 ten honors class with the lesbian teacher who trains me for superstardom lucy appreciates the brains but still likes greg better "mike, grow up" she says i never will bucky beaver becomes a curse too. 1964 eleven recognition in sunday school singing "he lives' in soprano asked back for more singing with danny as the "nyiri nuts" imitation beatles rave reviews four concerts at lunchtime ... crushes on lucy still likes greg better miguel stops the guys from picking on me don't like baseball can't make a hit 1965 twelve debbie mcculloch can't forget her... braces-glasses-corrections to nature's mistakes told I'd be perfect small but talented genius once more 1966 thirteen new school new "faces at lunchtime" new relationships-susan larsen never forget quarrels over english assignments steve k. recognition 1967 fourteen criss criss wish I were writing poetry first kiss first date first... notes exchanging love dancing... praises friendship parties happy times 1968 fifteen graduation highschool it's all been said before lonliness poetry scholarship federation losing siblings new career 1969 sixteen clubs school newspaper-popularity kathy-kathy-kathy love? who knows? 1970 seventeen clubs-clubs-clubs government freshmen meet me in the halls-shout hi "hi" "how are you" falsifications junior editor-don't let anyone forget acting classes, plays recognition again mommy's little genius growing up having fun winning awards appearing on TV alive 1971 eighteen the poetry begins - mary & dan assume identities mike & donna in drama k.m. and c. m. in journalism dreams set at once kathy on my mind steve b. breaks in - steals her says he cares I break up- inside life-who can change it girls on the line i can't respond the realization who knows how to stop it dayna asks for milk & i get it she thanks me girls ask for my recognition writing poems saying "flake off" recognition "mommy's little genius" graduates 1972 nineteen U.S.C. was a natural choice the D's in class weren't. steve b. breaks up but kathy never accepts me beginning of heartbreak period new home (moving again) siblings at glendora hi rah- get a job-new friends-new responsibilities mom gets sick-beer becomes a best friend 1973 twenty hours spent behind hospital walls sick to my stomach "mommy will die here- I know" "don't say that" escape the pains of sickness escape the pains of lonliness at school fall in love break my heart discover drugs - wow goin' crazy 1974 twenty-one only fun at S.C. with the gang- partying booze-drugs with friends racing the flukeswagen and winning trips to frisco movies with steve b. stealing signs with the gang forget mom is still sick-paralyzed having fun-why not dad dies-take control-funeral-bills why the hell does this happen to me 1975 twenty-two dan brings a girl into the empty house she lives here and fucks him- can't take it move out-apartment in rosemead reunited with school buddies-parties mark and bill turn me on to - christianity my life finds it's answers buy a thirty two dollar bible, try to stop drinking poems dwindle no one can stop drinking fuck this 1976 twenty-three moving-again / new job - other one nearly got me fired know a lot about plants now-who cares i run a garden dept. in a hardware store fell in love once too often ruth read my poetry wanted to meet me meet date make love went on for a year the cars crap out all at once listen to music - tell ruth i'll never love her 1977 twenty-four mom dies- finally give up ruth - give up contacts get fired discover LSD cocaine knebonal anything... grow my beard out at last for six months a hippie what else can I try ? 1978 twenty-five goin' crazy every day after unemployment - opportunity new job - new responsibilities then i meet cathy d. the world opens up for me i fall in love this time's the last time, i swear mommy's genius cuts his hair, trims the beard what happens beyond the next line i don't know life still hasn't taught me what to expect (an essay on life in nothing but words started 5-1-78 at 7pm finished exactly one month later (almost) 5-30-78 5-5:30am)
copyright 2001-2004 Michael F. Nyiri
