Kevin Ridgeway

Kevin Ridgeway is the author of Too Young to Know (Stubborn Mule Press, 2019) and Invasion of the Shadow People (Luchador Press, 2022), in addition to over a dozen chapbooks and split books.  His work has appeared in Hiram Poetry Review, New York Quarterly, Paterson Literary Review, Gargoyle, Slipstream, Chiron Review, Nerve Cowboy, Heavy Feather Review, San Pedro River Review and Trailer Park Quarterly, among others.  A Pushcart and Best of the Net nominee, he lives and writes in Long Beach, CA.  

THINGS I WOULD SAY TO MY MOTHER
IF SHE WAS STILL ALIVE

I finally quit smoking,
and I’m willing to share my secret
with you, but only if you’re ready.
You were right, people got so stupid,
and voted for a reality TV star as president.
I’m glad you missed the Pandemic,
a shit show we would have complained
ourselves to death together about.
But every time I see a cat,
you’re there to remind me to ignore
the stupidity and enjoy the sanctuary
of joyful little moments instead
of the dreadful mounds of bullshit
that will surround me until
my last breath and the day
we (might) meet again.
I’m tempted to play an old
blues howl for you on Mother’s Day,
a tragic Dave Van Ronk folk sermon
“motherless children have a hard time
when their mother is dead“
but guess what, I stopped feeling
sorry for myself because I realized
you weren’t so bad, after all,
and gave me character enough
to forgive Dad, who’s still alive
and who’s still in prison,
and who’s still got a lot to say
to me before he dies. He says hi,
by the way, and I’m sure you’ll
be happy to know he gives me shit
for things you would, so rest easy.
And thanks for the more refined,
worldly and mature older brother,
I needed him to give me a voice
loud enough so you can still hear me.