anatomy of Jean-Michel Basquiat | poem

poetry

Basquiat took a hit at seven

car bonnet trauma, bilingual skin.

high cheekbone, symmetry

eyes slit like a black dress.

a mother too maddened to feed

gave poetry, just like Ginsberg’s.

*

born into troubles  

a father blew the Parker jazz—

Now’s The Time. broken sound only

encouraged the image of dissection.

strike at the heart

colour spreads like a virus.

*