deep cleveland - featured poets & artists

featured poets & artists

Laurence Overmire

Laurence Overmire grew up in Cleveland. An actor/director/writer, he has worked on stage, film and television in New York, Hollywood, and points in between. His poetry, eclectic in form and often provocative in its direct confrontation of social issues, has been widely published in the U.S. and abroad, including "American Muse," "Kimera," "Main Street Rag Poetry Journal," "Red Coral," "Lynx: Poetry from Bath," "Poetry DownUnder," "Cotyledon," "Thunder Sandwich," "Samsara Quarterly," "Jack Magazine," "Stirring," "Free Zone Quarterly," "Pogonip," "Kookamonga Square" and many others. larryover@worldnet.att.net

Hollywood Surgeon

Hey, nice sunglasses. Ray-Bans. That,s a good start. But, oh, look at this.
A crooked smile. That won,t do. A smile must sparkle. Dazzle, in fact. The
smile is like the closed window to the soul. Even the slightest ulterior motive
must be concealed in the shine. Forceps, please. Pull, chisel, cut, polish.
There. Now that,s what I call a smile. It,s deadly!

Ok. Is this a man or a woman? Would you check please, nurse? A woman? Ok.
Well. Flat may be good in Nebraska, but not on Rodeo Drive. Silicon, please.
Snip, push, stuff, sew. There we are. Wow! Those are good, I,m tempted to
Nurse, slap my hand, please. Thank you.

Ok. Hips. Whoa. Cellulite city. Vacuum, please. Whoosh, suck, gurgle,
spit. There. Looking slim, looking trim. Ok. Ow! Varicose veins. Eeech! I
hate those things. Hypo, please. Inject, inject, inject, swab. That ought to
do it.

So what do you think, nurse? Oh what am I asking you for? Bob, what do you
think? Great body, dog face huh? You,re right, it did work for Tori. But,
hey, her daddy,s a producer so what do you expect? However, I do like a
challenge. Scalpel.

Ok, here goes. Snip, tuck, scrape, pull. Hack, chip, scoop, whittle, wax!
Voila! Is that a face or is that a face?! Oh my God, I,m good. Bob? Damn
right, she,s ready for Baywatch. You,re all done, sweetheart. Now go out there
and get your heart broken. Nurse, wheel her on out of here. Next!