Michael Estabrook

Cockamamie

My sublimation technique is working fine
Whenever the slightest sexual urge or image
arises to tempt me
whenever I catch a glimpse of the pure white
of her inner thigh or notice her
tucking her hair behind an ear
or get distracted by the gleam
of her pink passion toenail polish
or the tightness of her blouse
I immediately redirect my focus
and begin reciting the books
of the Old Testament
or Shakespeare’s plays in order
of composition and first performance

Yes Freud would be proud of me I think
adhering so well to his theories for detouring
my useless libidinal impulses
into enhanced artistic creativity

Or he might shake his head instead
tell me what an idiot I am
for paying attention to his cockamamie ideas
and say go ahead and fuck her
you moron

 

After 40 years of working for “The Man” and sometimes “The Woman” Michael Estabrook is finally free. No more useless meetings under florescent lights in stuffy windowless rooms. He can concentrate instead on making better poems and on pursuing his other interests including: history, art, music, theatre, opera, and his wife who is still the most beautiful woman he has ever known.