Ken Kakareka

“lungs” by Ken Kakareka

NEW POETRY

(image c/o swegonairacademy)

the sky
breaks open
with such
breadth
at 6 am
when you
have
a chance
to watch it
instead of
driving
on the
freeway
w/ 1700 other
angry ppl
pushing towards
a meaningless
job.
i watch it
break
wide open
like a pair
of lungs
filling
with air –
i can breathe
knowing that
the demands
of life
can’t
suffocate me
today.

Ken Kakareka is an American writer of works of fiction and nonfiction, such as BULLSHIT (Anxiety Press, 2024) and Summer of Irresponsibility (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). His novella PARIS IN ALL ITS GLORY is on its way with Anxiety Press. Ken’s work has appeared or is on its way in numerous rags including Gargoyle Magazine, The Disappointed Housewife, and Foofaraw. He has been nominated twice for a Best of the Net. A list of selected publications can be found at kenkakareka.com.

“a non-writer for the new yorker” by Ken Kakareka

NEW POETRY

you won’t see
a passage of
my writing
featured in
the SAT.
you won’t
read
a paragraph
and think:
the fuck
did i
just read?
some writers
try
to confuse
you
with their
pretense
and
deranged syntax,
but i aim
to be clear
and simple.
so if you
read
the new yorker
and think
this writer
sounds like
a self-serving
asshole,
pick up
my work
instead.

Ken Kakareka is an American writer of works of fiction and nonfiction, such as BULLSHIT (Anxiety Press, 2024) and Summer of Irresponsibility (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). His novella PARIS IN ALL ITS GLORY is on its way with Anxiety Press. Ken’s work has appeared or is on its way in numerous rags including Gargoyle Magazine, The Disappointed Housewife, and Foofaraw. He has been nominated twice for a Best of the Net. A list of selected publications can be found at kenkakareka.com.

“Neon” by Ken Kakareka

NEW POETRY

image c/o amazon.com

at
the end
you
can say
you
showed up
every day.
whether
beaten,
fatigued,
hungover,
uninspired,
or rejected –
you
didn’t let
any
of it
get
to you.
you were
unrelenting
when
so many
big
neon signs
flashed
RELENT.
and that
is how
you won.

Ken Kakareka has appeared numerous times at Fast Pop Lit.

His publication, Bullshit, is available at Amazon.

“nature” by Ken Kakareka

nEW pOETRY

the one
thing
you should
never fight
is
nature.
if it
isn’t
meant
to be
why
will it
into
existence?
if it
is
meant
to be
why
deny?
it is
a battle
you will
lose
9 times
out of
10
and the
one time
that it
tricked you
into
believing
you won,
it will
haunt you
like the
carcass
of
a rotting pig.

***

Ken Kakareka has appeared numerous times at Fast Pop Lit.

His publication, Bullshit, is available at Amazon.

“Charcoal Blues” by Ken Kakareka

NEW POETRY

(c/o diningtokitchendotcom)

inclusivity
has fucked up
a lot of shit.
everyone’s
a comedian
now.
i bet
that doesn’t
fair well
with the greats
who’ve worked
20 yrs.
to earn
their stakes.
soon,
everyone
will be
a poet.
can you
imagine?
it takes
a specific type
to be
a poet.
you have
to be
a true loner
at heart.
you have to
wrestle with
your soul
& drink
everything
under
& beyond
the sun.
you have to
wage war
with Life
& Death
not to
end up
in between.

Ken Kakareka’s latest novel is Summer of Irresponsibility (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). His words have appeared or are on their way in numerous rags including Gargoyle Magazine, The Gorko Gazette, and A Thin Slice of Anxiety. A list of selected publications can be found at kenkakareka.com.

“the critics” by Ken Kakareka

HEMINGWAY FESTIVAL 2024

(photo c/o National Book Critics Circle)

they say
that writers
don’t play,
that’s why
they make
such great
observers.
like the
impotent
jake barnes
in the sun
also rises.
well
let me
tell you
something.
writers play.
i’ve stuck
my beak
in depths of
squishy kiwi
and tasted
the sweet,
the sour,
the ripened
and
the bitter.
i’ve snorted,
drank,
and fucked
everything
west of
the sun
and
sat with
the lamest
of ducks
at dead
wine bars
listening to
drowning
conversations,
and i’ve
walked
the walk
at old joints
in new orleans
where what
barflies say
jumps off
the walls
like frogs
off lilies.
so i can
tell you
that writers
play more
than anyone.
don’t believe
the critics –
they’re
the ones
who don’t
play.

See also Ken Kakareka’s other feature in this year’s Hemingway Festival, “Old Bull.”

“Old Bull” by Kenneth Kakareka

NEW POETRY

HEMINGWAY FESTIVAL 2024

(photo c/o thinkstock)

the sun
also rises
was always
my favorite
book.
in the spirit
of going
to paris
at the end
of summer
i decided
to read it
again.
halfway thru
i slapped
the book
shut
and roared
all the way
back
to the 20s.
but it wasn’t
hemingway’s wit
that made me
laugh.
up until
now
his writing
seemed
intangibly
majestic.
for the
first time
i felt like
i could hang
in the ring
with him
punch
for punch.
maybe
not win,
but hang.
he was 26
when he wrote
the sun…
i’m 36.
but an
old bull
has just
as much
fervor
and perhaps
more danger
than a
young bull
when he’s
raring to go.

Ken Kakareka’s latest novel is Summer of Irresponsibility (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). His words have appeared or are on their way in numerous rags including Gargoyle Magazine, The Gorko Gazette, and A Thin Slice of Anxiety. A list of selected publications can be found at kenkakareka.com.

“Tide” by Ken Kakareka

NEW POETRY

(c/o thespruce.com)

i was
sitting
underneath
a great
big
avocado tree
throwing a
pity party,
drinkin
& thinkin
what’s the
point?
when one
dropped
& clunk me
square on
the noggin.
i looked
around
startled:
who else
saw that?
no one!
it was
a sign
from god.
then
a sexy woman
and her
beautiful dog
walked by
smiling
at me.
my god!
another
sign –
how quickly
the tide
can turn!

Ken Kakareka’s latest novel is Summer of Irresponsibility (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). His words have appeared or are on their way in numerous rags including Gargoyle Magazine, The Gorko Gazette, and A Thin Slice of Anxiety. A list of selected publications can be found at kenkakareka.com.

“tear past it” by Ken Kakareka

NEW POETRY

i did
a small mag
interview
where the editor
asked me
what advice
i had
for writers
starting out.
i brewed
for a minute.
when you feel
like you’re at
the finish line,
tear past it.
we’ve all
been there –
that’s when
the good stuff
comes out.

XXX

Ken Kakareka’s latest novel is Summer of Irresponsibility (Alien Buddha Press, 2023). His words have appeared or are on their way in numerous rags including Gargoyle Magazine, The Gorko Gazette, and A Thin Slice of Anxiety. A list of selected publications can be found at kenkakareka.com.