SO, WHAT SO YOU DO? by Brian Rihlmann

He asked what I do and I said,
“Well, I usually wake up early and piss first,
then brush my teeth if it’s a weekday,
or if it’s a weekend I’ll skip it
and head straight for the coffee pot,
then to the computer to get a little writing done...”

I enjoyed the way he smiled at me,
like you do at a crazy,
cracked out street person
who’s telling you their story,
and you really want outta there,
but there’s no way out.

Ok, I’ve never actually done this.

But I think we all should...
just to throw off
the natural order of the universe,
and this not so subtle way
of determining my social caste
and whether or not
I’m worthy of your time.

Fuck you.
That’s what I do for a living.

Brian Rihlmann was born in NJ, and currently lives in Reno, NV. He writes mostly semi autobiographical, confessional free verse, much of it on the so-called "grittier" side.  Folk poetry...for folks.  He has been published in Constellate Magazine, Poppy Road Review, and has an upcoming piece in The American Journal Of Poetry.