Never Trust A Man Wearing Purple Shoes by J.J. Campbell

J. J. Campbell lives in Brookville, Ohio and has been published widely in the small press. In his recent collection of poems, Never Trust A Man Wearing Purple Shoes, published by Propaganda Press by Alternating Current, Mr. Campbell explores life’s yearnings and uncertainties. Here are several that caught my attention:


forever a romantic

carrying a flame
for a love that
quit me many
years ago

and the lips of
that angel haven’t
graced me this century

yet i hold onto
hope like a
fucking fool.

Many of us know the memories of an old flame, I especially love how he ends it since the last two words are a surprise to the relatively tame lines in the beginning.



the spark of my youth

i keep listening to the
music of my teenage
years hoping to find
the spark of my youth

but as i wake each
morning and am
greeted at the mirror
with disappointment

i sadly realize those
old tunes are out of
magic.

This is another poem for memory lane, greeting the past with the hope of being inspired by it only to realize that which once inspired no longer does so. Mr. Campbell leaves us with a feeling of sadness with minimal use of drama and a simplicity of language.



4818

finally, the comfort
of my own bed after
five days of a hospital
bed

the first comfortable
pillow

the first soft sheet

the first tears of
knowing i’m
cheating death

soon i’ll know if i
have some rare blood
disorder or some
genetic defect that
gave me blood clots
at age 32

regardless, i got a
funny feeling death
just became my next
door neighbor.

The title leaves me wondering if this is an address or hospital room number? For me, the poem brings a sense of relief as the poet slips into familiar life back into a place where he is truly comfortable after such a daunting experience. However, the poet leaves us hanging in suspense at the end, as we never learn the results and that he feels death is next door.


If you enjoyed this sample of poems by J.J. Campbell, you can purchase a copy of Never Trust A Man Wearing Purple Shoes, which is Number Eleven in the Pocket Protector Series of Alternating Currnet’s Press for $3.00 plus Shipping&Handling at:
http://alt-current.com

Thanks always for reading, please drop in tomorrow for more Poems Found by Poet Hound…