SUGAR TOBEY - POEMS

SUGAR TOBEY
​Born in Coney Island, Brooklyn. Received a degree from the School of Visual Art in Manhattan.  Now lives in NYC above a pizza parlor.

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A Winter Night
​

​Have you ever seen so many stars
they’re dizzying as they shine
on the frost covered earth
 
it’s so cold we hug each other
to try and keep warm
looking into the night you know
someone there is looking back
 
our freezing breath floats away
I hope it’s nice and warm
wherever they are
 
we’d better go back
in the house now
this planet can be pretty
inhospitable sometimes
 
 

Fast Food
​

​He sat by himself
in a fast food place
against all the plastic
he looked older and sadder
than he really was
 
he’d been eating hamburgers
his whole life
now he just had
a newspaper
and a cup of coffee
 
the paper folded
in his lap read
photo at cemetery
reveals ghosts of deceased
walk with mourners
 

Grandma
​

​ 
You boys want something to suck on
my Grandmother offered us
an old tin of hard candies
 
my friend Rob just looked at me silent
plastic sofa covers crocheted doilies
two young boys sipping hot tea
 
must be time for lunch
Grandmother said standing up
I’ll blow you boys to cheese sandwiches
 
later when it was time to go
Rob said what the hell is wrong
with your grandmother

I’m Sorry
​

​Kissing her gently behind the ears
down her neck to the hollow of her throat
then downward between her breasts
 
kissing the soft skin underneath
slowly moving upward to her nipples
taking each softly between my lips
 
then down her belly pausing at her belly button
to understand its complexity with my tongue
Then I’m sorry what were you saying