The Poetry Prostitute

From T. C. Gardstein, this is a first for Paper Bag Press: our first erotic poetry collection. T. C.'s poetry performances have garnered attention in New York City, and we are proud to share her talent with you here. A sample:

The Poetry Prostitute

When my livelihood was once again outsourced,
it compelled me to plot a whole new course.

I was sick of being at the mercy
of this increasingly insane economy

while trying to achieve a break
as a writer on the make.

I needed to make an easy buck
yet knew I couldn’t sell a fuck.

What saved me from becoming destitute?
Turning into a poetry prostitute.

I hoped there might be some voyeurs
who were erotica connoisseurs.

So I ran some classifieds here and there
proposing to lay my sex life bare.

I would not write poems to order
but expose in verse my every border.

I would not focus on the customer’s desire
like a phone-sex girl through a 900 wire.

It was up to me what my getup would be--
my poetry was what would earn the fee. ...

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The complete collection: 9 poems.

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Have you been at one of T. C.'s performances? Please leave a comment.  Also, you can read an interview with T. C. here, and read about her story, "Sandwich Filling," here.