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The following can also be found in the book Chicago Stories 1998. Click here to learn more, and to download a free electronic copy.

Now that I've lost the desire to have sex
life has become amazingly clear
and plentiful
and
easy.

I can go to open mics now
and not have to listen intently
and with deliberate attention
to the awful
19 year old
cutie
goth
poet.

I can go to a bar now
and have a drink
and go
home.

Now that I've lost the desire to have sex
I don't have to explain my story
a dozen times a week,
talk about my novel,
list my favorite bands,
oh you live in Logan Square, that's very interesting,
work and work and work
and work and work and work
and work
and work
to get a phone number
before I feel like I can
stop.

Working.

And now that I've lost the desire to have sex
I can stay at home
and watch television
and smoke a cigarette
and eat ice cream out of the carton
and smoke another cigarette
and masturbate
and smoke another cigarette
and... masturbate again
and... smoke... another cigarette
and cry
and remember the days
when I used to like having sex.

Yep, now that I've lost the desire to have sex
life has become amazingly clear
and plentiful
and
easy.

Copyright 1998, Jason Pettus. All rights reserved. This was published under a Creative Commons license; click here for details. Contact: ilikejason [at] gmail [dot] com.