Presidential Playlist
Swaying around the room to a playlist
feels appropriate,
Better than answering questions.
Commandeer up next
and listen to Ave Maria. Twice.
It’s that good.
No need to detail the history
of Hallelujah. No need to debate the definitive
version. Just bask in the minor fall.
The major lift.
Don’t think about how the singer
of Nothing Compares 2 U
shaved her head because
the men at the record company
wanted her to be pretty for the video.
Instead, sing along like you are alone
in the car.
This song about Rich Men
North of Richmond should make you feel
righteous. You should notice
a stirring feeling in your shoulders.
Don’t think too hard about YMCA.
Just dance. Things could get complicated
if too much thinking happens here.
Nothing lasts forever
which makes November Rain
the perfect finale. As you exit,
imagine yourself
in the music video, leaving a church,
stepping into an empty desert
for your guitar solo. It doesn’t quite
make sense, nothing makes sense,
but since it sounds so great,
you can let it slide.
Christopher Barry’s poetry has been published in Rising Phoenix Review, Northern New England Review, The Henniker Review, and The Golden Hour. He lives in New Hampshire where he teaches English and runs really long distances.
The Marbled Sigh 