Selling Lal – Part 2

I’m a hot commodity
for sale for free
with fanboys and fangirls
Too much love
Too little respect

Murals, posters, paintings of me
floating around the country
Girl’s wearing t-shirts with my face
Not enough money in my pocket
to buy back the showcase
I can’t even afford myself.

I don’t need another award
for my “courage and conviction”
I don’t need another plaque
for “appreciation and recognition”
I just need a regular paycheck.

Being popular doesn’t pay the bills
Being infamous doesn’t get me through law school
Being a cult figure won’t save the precious life
dangling by a thread in my home.

CV, updated on 7/31/2011

I’ll never make a career out of writing poetry. But I have a backup plan. You see, I don’t know anyone else who can write a graduate thesis deconstructing an entire discipline, build websites and online communities, research and write legal memos and briefs, while still delivering an intense account of undocumented love.