Writing Songs with Dylan

I’ve often wished to write songs from indignation
turned to righteousness the way
he did, with that scruffy, careful belligerence-
to have my guitar strum forgotten notes
with heavy-handed intention-
to only remember the longing pangs of my soul
when the lamp mixes with a cigarette to send
a lonely chord blaring through on a wisp to a dreamy lull-
to walk into the typewriter and see the world
as it was meant to be,
without the politics or the talk and loss of innocence.
That is what I want-
to kiss the god of optimism and hold the reins of change-
to wander through these barren valleys and war-scorched earth,
and feel a gentle rain rinse away the mud;
to see clearly all the moments of my life with purpose,
and breath a cleaner breath with ease.

Andrew Venegas
San Jose
SJSU
poetry