Sermons from the Smell of a Carcass Condemned to Begging

Poetry. Sermons from the Smell of a Carcass Condemned to Begging is a long poem, consisting of 96 sermons in the voice of a homeless persona or everyman named Broke. It is the first in a series, which includes Pictures of Broke and Broke on Ice. Broke is in the tradition of Langston Hughes’ “Simple” and Charlie Chaplin’s “Tramp,” as well as Nicanor Parra’s Christ of Elqui and Zbigniew Herbert’s Mr. Cognito. (Author’s Note) Those that murder me / say that I’m responsible / for my falling hair / for my lack of air / I’m responsible / for my ribs / caving in / for my tongue / drying out / for the stars / that stain / about my eyes / that can’t even / vomit tears (Broke Mirror Image).

Tony Medina is the author of Erge & See, No Noose Is Good Noose, and co‑editor (with S. E. Anderson) of the award‑winning anthology In Defense of Mumia. Born in the South Bronx, he currently lives in Harlem, once home to Langston Hughes and Malcolm X, and works as a professor of English.