“Personal Poem #29” by Dimitrios Kalantzis


dear nicole, it’s 10:07 a.m. in Chicago and the Sunday New
York Times is bringing me down! Debbie Harry’s first apartment, four
rooms on St. Marks Place, rented for $67 in 19-
65. Finn Wittrock (I don’t know who that is!) went to
Julliard and drank beers at Malachy’s on West
72nd Street. Some people can never agree on how to split the
cost of a fancy trip but I would never want to go on one so
what do I care? It’s true we can plan all we want but
what happens in the future is completely up to fate don’t
you agree? Never! Me neither. My plan therefore is
this: Finish the coffee I just made, thank you for getting
cream this morning, battle Lazarus for supreme control over
the universe, love you a little, and read For Better Or For
Worse The Lockhorns Mister Boffo and maybe Hägar the Horrible.


Dimitrios Kalantzis is a journalist and former newspaper editor. He was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY and studied poetry at Binghamton University. He remains inspired by the New York School of Poets, specifically Frank O’Hara, Ted Berrigan, and Paul Blackburn. He lives in Chicago, IL with his wife and son.