Steve Cohen
    I have only heard Steve Cohen perform his work once, but it was an unforgettable reading. Steveīs poems are funny and sick and perverse and macabre and wise. During the reading of the poem about the guy who devours himself, I became almost physically sick to my stomach; I looked around and when I saw the disapproval on certain faces, I knew right away Steve was on to something and had possibly created a masterpiece. Steve writes about whatīs out there in the street but he usually writes about whatīs in there, inside his unusual mind. Whether street or mind, itīs not a pretty scene. But itīs cathartic to experience this kind of writing. Steve Cohen doesn’t just break the ice; he demolishes the skating rink and nukes the whole city. And we wake up refreshed. 


Poem #1

    I walk among the tall pine trees stalking the sky like a toothpick in a sandwich. Open plastic wrapped around the ends, the earth picks its teeth and laughs at the clouds holding its tears. I wander among the throng, yellow below my footsteps echoing among their petals. I sit and watch a hawk fly by and echo cries across the hills, I float on an ocean of fears, I eat the hate and fuck with my ears. I see the ravens soar and butterflies snip at tepid sperm. 

Poem #2

    In the beginning God didnīt believe in himself so he created the universe. This didnīt do anything so he created light so he could see the universe. This didnīt do anything either so he created time. He waited and waited and looked and looked and counted the time but still nothing happened so God created the earth. He sat and watched the earth spin and spin for a while and he got dizzy so God created animals on the earth but they were all dumb and still nothing happened. So God created air and water and a garden so beautiful he cried and his tears became tornados and hurricanes but still nothing happened so God created man and told man that he was eternally damned and man got down on his knees and he was afraid of God. And, suddenly, God was happy.



Đ 2011 Steve Cohen
Steve Cohen was a Featured Poet who read his poetry at the January 2011 Second Sunday Poetry Series