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Red Flag is so much more than just postcards!

We also publish digitally, every other month, via the Poetry Express. This format gives us the freedom to publish work that won’t fit on a postcard but still needs to be shared with the world.

On this page, you will find all of our past Poetry Express poems with information about their authors. If you like these poems and want to get even more poetry delivered directly to your mailbox, head over to our subscribe page!

5/21/2015 Comments

AJ SCHMITZ: L.A. Story[1]; or Songs On My iPod[2]

The Scenario[3]: 
                  "Daddy's Home[4]."
                                                                        Panic[5]
It Was A Good Day[6] if it ended in a
                  Fat Lip[7]; sometimes a Broken Face[8]
                                     But many times, This Charming Man[9] would call out, "Girl,[10] Let's go to Bed[11]." 
No Answer.
"Baby[12], Baby Baby[13], C'mon, C'mon[14].  How Many Times[15]
                  I gotta Get On Up[16] and tell you It Could Be Sweet[17]"
I[18] would plead: "Leave Me Alone[19]."  (I knew he was Up To No Good[20]).                                                                                            
                  He would slur: "You're Just Like Heaven[21]," and "Just Say Yes[22]--I can make it Easy On You[23]"
                                    He groped and gasped: "You give me a Happy Feeling[24] ( pant) Everything is Alright[25]."
The Evil,[26] Cold Blooded[27], Alcoholic[28]. 
Each and Every Day[29] it would happen--  
                Every Day[30], everything would Stay the Same[31]
"Don't Be Shy[32]," he'd say, covered in Sweat[33], and tell me, "Don't Cry[34]!  All You Need Is Love[35]"
                                    Never was a Lover[36] As Wicked[37] as he. 
He's  Close To Me.[38] He'll Hold Tight,[39] shout: "I Want It All[40]" and there passed the next
                                                                                                                                                                    Wave of Mutilation[41]
                                                                                    I'd ask "Is It Over[42]?"
There was always Another Tomorrow[43], leaving me
            In Disorder and Disarray[44].
                                                I was In Hell[45],
                                                               I craved a Quick Death[46]
                                                                              I Considered Suicide[47],
                                                                                          wishing I were In My Grave[48] 6 feet Underground[49]
                                                                                                                             

 It went On And On[50];
                                                                                                                                                              Hope[51] was a Lost Cause[52].
On A Sunday Afternoon[53], in a moment of Madness[54]        (or was it Lucidity[55]?)
I said to myself:  "I've gotta get out of this This Place[56]"[57]                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Do it Now[58]
I prayed: Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want[59]
                                                         Fuck Forever[60]--Let Forever Be[61] damned-- I was Out Of Control[62]--
                                                         I Cut Here[63], I cut there: I fought
                                                         with all the pain I've held For The Longest Time[64]
Run On[65],
                  down Roads[66],
                                        Rushing[67]
                                                      Out Of Brooklyn[68]
                                                                        Through Baltimore[69],
                                                                                          To New Orleans[70],
                                                                                                            by way of  Memphis[71],
                                                                                                                                     Through the Big Empty[72]
                                                                                                                                                        Into the arms of an Old Friend[73]                                                                                                                                                                                                                             in Los Angeles[74]



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[1] "This Story Is Inspired By True Events" is a disclaimer found at the beginning of several movies and television shows, (e.g. Law & Order)
[2] All songs taken from the iPod Nano© (16 gb) gifted to AJ Schmitz on 25 Dec., 2013.  All 1,634 songs uploaded between 25 Dec., 2013 and 1 May, 2015.  Number of plays based on data collected from iTunes© on 20 May., 2015.
[3] "The Scenario" perf. A Tribe Called Quest, ripped from the Album, "Anthology"; 5 plays
[4] "Daddy's Home" perf. Shep and the Limelights, ripped from the Album, "13 of the Best Doo Wop Love Songs"; 12 plays
[5] "Panic" perf. The Smiths, ripped from the album, "The Best Of The Smiths, vol. 1";  2 plays
[6] "It Was A Good Day (Remix)" perf. Ice Cube, purchased from the Album, "The Predator"; 28 plays
[7] "Fat Lip” perf. Sum 41, purchased from the Album, "All Killer No Filler"; 21 plays
[8] "Broken Face" perf. Pixies, ripped from the Album, "Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies"; 6 plays
[9] "This Charming Man" perf. The Smiths, ripped from the album, "The Best Of The Smiths, vol. 1"; 14 plays
[10] "Girl" perf. Beck, purchased from the Album, "Guero"; 6 plays
[11] "Let' Go To Bed" perf. The Cure, ripped from the Album, "Greatest Hits"; 6 plays
[12] "Baby" perf. Devendra Banhart, purchased from the Album, "What Will We Be"; 15 plays
[13] "Baby Baby" perf. The Vibrators, purchased from the Album, "The Best of the Vibrators"; 65 plays
[14] "C'mon, C'mon" perf. Von Bondies, purchased from the Album, " C'mon, C'mon - EP"; 11 plays
[15] "How Many Times" perf. Bob Marley and the Wailers, purchased from the Album, " Fy-Ah Fy-Ah"; 13 plays
[16] "Get On Up" perf. Jodeci, purchased from the Album, "The Show, The After Party, The Hotel"; 4 plays
[17] "It Could Be Sweet" perf. Portishead ripped from the Album, "Dummy"; 1 play
[18] "I" perf. Bad Brains, ripped from the Album, " Bad Brains "; 11 plays
[19] "Leave Me Alone" perf. New Order, purchased from the Album, "Power, Corruption, & Lies (Collector's Edition)"; 5 plays
[20] "Up To No Good" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, "Let The Dominos Fall"; 8 plays
[21] "Just Like Heaven" perf. The Cure, ripped from the Album, "Greatest Hits"; 4 plays
[22] "Just Say Yes" perf. The Cure, ripped from the Album, "Greatest Hits"; 2 plays
[23] "Easy On You" perf. The Interrupters, purchased from the Album "The Interrupters"; 18 plays
[24] "Happy Feeling" perf. Boo-Yah T.R.I.B.E., purchased from the Album, "Occupation Hazard"; 7 plays
[25] "Everything Is Alright" perf. Four Tet, purchased from the Album, "Pause"; 22 plays
[26] "Evil" perf. Interpol, ripped from the Album, "Antics"; 11 plays
[27] "Cold Blooded" perf. Tim Armstrong feat. The Aggrolites, ripped from the Album, "A Poet's Life"; 4 plays
[28] Alcoholic" perf. Fishbone, purchased from the Album, "Chim Chim's Badass Revenge"; 11 plays
[29] "Each And Every Day" perf. Best Coast, purchased from the Album, "Crazy For You"; 13 plays
[30]"Every Day" perf. Girl Talk, stolen from the Album, "All Day"; 5 plays
[31]"Stay The Same" perf. Bonobo feat. Andreya Triana, purchased from the Album, "Black Sands"; 15 plays
[32] "Don't Be Shy" perf. The Libertines, ripped from the Album, "Up The Bracket"; 2 plays
[33] "Sweat (A La La La La Long)" perf. Inner Circle, purchased from the Album, "Blazzin' Fire: Classic Cuts"; 25 plays
[34] "Don't Cry (Original)" perf. Guns N Roses, purchased from the Album "Use Your Illusion I"; 14 plays
[35]"All You Need Is Love" perf. The Beatles, ripped from the Album, "The Beatles 1";  4 plays--no longer on device
[36] "Lover" perf. Devendra Banhart, purchased from the Album, "Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) [Deluxe Edition]"; 8 plays
[37] "As Wicked" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, ". . .And Out Come The Wolves"; 2 plays
[38] "Close To Me" perf. The Cure, ripped from the Album, "Greatest Hits"; 2 plays
[39] "Hold Tight!" perf., Beaky, Dave Dee, Dozy, Mick & Tich, purchased from the Album, "Grindhouse: Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof (Soundtrack from the Motion Picture)"; 11 plays
[40] "I Want It All" perf. Transplants, ripped from the Album, "Haunted Cities"; 2 plays
[41] "Wave Of Mutilation" perf. Pixies, ripped from the Album, "Wave of Mutilation: Best of Pixies"; 13 plays
[42] "Over" perf. Portishead, ripped from the Album, "Portishead"; 5 plays
[43] "Another Tomorrow" perf. Irresistible Force, purchased from the Album, "It's Tomorrow Already"; 10 plays
[44] "Disorder and Disarray" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, ". . .And Out Come The Wolves"; 6 plays
[45] "In Hell" perf. Choking Victim, purchased from the Album, "No Gods/No Managers"; 10 plays
[46] "Quick Death" perf. Transplants, ripped from the Album, "Transplants"; 5 plays
[47] "Suicide" perf. Choking Victim, purchased from the Album, "No Gods/No Managers"; 16 plays
[48] "In My Grave" perf. Choking Victim, purchased from the Album, "No Gods/No Managers"; 13 plays
[49]  "6 Feet Underground" perf. Travis Barker and Yelawolf, feat. Tim Armstrong, purchased off the album "Psycho White EP"; 51 plays
[50] "On and On" perf. Girl Talk, stolen from the Album, "All Day"; 30 plays
[51] "Omid (Hope)" perf. Thievery Corporation, ripped from the Album, "Richest Man In Babylon"; 3 plays
[52] "Lost Cause" perf. Beck, purchased from the Album, "Sea Change"; 5 plays
[53]"On A Sunday Afternoon" perf. A Lighter Shade Of Brown, purchased from the Album, "Brown and Proud"; 16 plays
[54] "Madness" perf. Transplants, ripped from the Album, "Haunted Cities"; 6 plays
[55] "Lucidity" perf. Tame Impala, purchased from the Album, "Innerspeaker"; 9 plays
[56] "This Place" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, "Let The Dominoes Fall"; 4 plays
[57] Line is a paraphrase of, "Man I've gotta get out of this town," from the chorus of Beth Hart's , "L.A. Song" off her second studio album, Screamin' for my Supper," released 3, Aug., 1999 by Atlantic Records, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Warner Music Group.  For more, see:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_Records; 2 plays
[58] "Do It Now" perf. Mos Def feat. Busta Rhymes, ripped from the Album, "Black on Both Sides"; 11 plays
[59] "Please Please Please Let Me Get What I Want" perf. The Smiths, ripped from the album, "The Best Of The Smiths, vol. 1"; 5 plays
[60] "Fuck Forever" perf. Babyshambles, purchased from the album "Down In Albion"; 43 plays
[61] "Let Forever Be" perf. The Chemical Brothers, purchased from the Album, "Singles 93-03"; 5 plays
[62] "Out Of Control" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, "Indestructible"; 4 plays
[63] "Cut Here" perf. The Cure, ripped from the Album, "Greatest Hits"; 1 play
[64] "The Longest Time" perf. Billy Joel, ripped from the Album, "Billy Joel Greatest Hits Volume I & Volume II"; 4 play
[65] "Run On" perf. Moby, ripped from the Album, "Play"; 3 plays
[66] "Roads" perf. Portishead, ripped from the Album, "Dummy"; 4 plays
[67] "Rushing" perf. Moby, ripped from the Album, "Play"; 6 plays
[68] "Brooklyn" perf. Mos Def, ripped from the Album, "Black on Both Sides"; 6 plays
[69] "Baltimore" perf. Nina Simone, purchased from the Album, "Late Night Tales: Bonobo"; 4 plays
[70] "New Orleans" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, "Let The Dominoes Fall"; 3 plays
[71] "Memphis" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, "Indestructible"; 15 plays
[72] "Big Empty" perf. Stone Temple Pilots, ripped from the Album, "The Crow: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack"; 0 plays
[73] "Old Friend" perf. Rancid, ripped from the Album, ". . .And Out Come The Wolves"; 3 plays
[74] "Los Angeles" perf. The Hippos, purchased from the Album, "The Hippos"; 9 plays

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AJ Schmitz was born and raised in Los Angeles, moving to Indiana, PA to work on his PhD in Literature.  While he doesn't particularly like snow, he does love coats.


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