he was young and full of fire (blind-stupidity). he spoke to the masses. cruel pen and paper sheathed at his side. the weak ones flocked. the strong ones black-listed him, pulled out his innards, examined them, turned them upside down and said, "naa, it's all mush, hog-wash, better off dead, maimed, or better yet disheartened." he quit, left, gave in, retreated, to the exiles of mediocrity. he lived in that dream world for years. women, women, women, turned him upside down too. it was all but over for him. he lay on his death bed full of doubt but determined to show them again. he rose from the ashes, picked up his cruelest pen.
the one he never used before. the one he feared the most. he questioned his actions. he wondered if he could do it again. so much was lost before. what would it cost him this time? he wrote down his first line. now you have to put up with him. black-listed poems
Reviews for Black-Listed Poems :
"Like John Fante and Charles Bukowski before him, Mike Meraz writes with a raw honesty that hits you smack bang in the gut. This collection of poems, his first, is laden with a dazzling array of jewels as to warm your innards with each and every page turned." -Matthew Coleman (Co-Editor, Scarecrow Magazine)
"Every generation gravitates towards the voices of the unafraid. Meraz is fearless in his words and approaches the blank page with a stoic sense of time and space and an ability to say the exact thing that always seemed allusive. With a keen sense for the poetry in the non-poetic, Mike’s voice is honest and always in touch with what, 'is.'" -Steven M. Velardo (Founder, Backlight Records)
"Black-Listed Poems reverberates with the colloquial tradition of William Carlos Williams and possesses both the thematic and rhythmic elements of the Beat Generation. From the giant one-sentence poem “Reflections in the Bathroom Sink†to the empathetic ballad of “We Are Everywhere,†Black-Listed Poems is equally a personal story and a guide through the portal of human relationships and perceptions." -Kristie Langone (Editor-In-Chief, Literary Fever Magazine)
"So long as he keeps writing, time will ultimately prove Mike Meraz correct. His poems will resound throughout the decades. Buy this book." -Ben Myers (Founder, Captains Of Industry)
