Vincent Quatroche has been a member of the Communication and English Department @ Jamestown Community College since 1997. He has BA in English and Master of Science in Education from SUNY @ Fredonia. In addition to his adjunct position with JCC, Vincent has been a member of the faculty in the Communication Department @ Fredonia State College since the late 80s. Mr. Quatroche is also an Instructor in Adult Education for Erie-2 Chautauqua-Cattaraugus BOCES @ the Chautauqua County Jail in Mayville NY since 1996. He is a published author of numerous creative projects, including audio recordings and books. His poetry has been distributed widely throughout the United States and abroad. A profile of his work appeared on PBS in 1998. Mr. Quatroche's professional credentials and accomplishments are recognized and included in the 25th edition of the International Biographic Center's Dictionary of Who's Who in the Field of Education, Cambridge CB2 #QP United Kingdom, England.
Where is Mr. Cedric ?
Cedric sat at the bar
on a Sunday Night
under the Chrysler
Building’s Crown
listening to the
last of the past year
Summer Sound
recede from his ears.
Cedric had run from
one end of the state
clear to the other
to get to
to get away from…
And tonight facing the three
oversize hyper illusion inducing
representations of reality in
brutal corporate gladiatorial contests
only he knew where he was
tonight.
And what this
Cedric was all about.
Cedric
had a clear tendency
propensity
a persistent preference
to defer his obligation
for actual presence.
Old friends got together
to peck and paw.
Relative’s Funerals
All social obligations
large or small
Mr. Cedric
sent his fond regrets
to one and all.
And his absences
had become
conspicuous
Cedric finally
had them all
right where
he wanted them
(to stay)
away
(that was)
right where
they had left him
years ago
so sure of themselves
and his ability
to remain
put.
As an anchor
a channel marker
a tombstone molding
denoting their past.
Cedric was intended
to be their own little
hometown version of Dorian Gray.
But now
He was nowhere to be found
information sketchy
Heads left scratching
at the end of the day
with no word come from him
to repeat, misquote and betray.
Cedric ordered another one
Smiled at the bartender
and thought….
“How’s that feel ?
How’s that taste ?
Where is Mr. Cedric ?
Cedric sat at the bar
on a Sunday Night
under the Chrysler
Building’s Crown
listening to the
last of the past year
Summer Sound
recede from his ears.
Cedric had run from
one end of the state
clear to the other
to get to
to get away from…
And tonight facing the three
oversize hyper illusion inducing
representations of reality in
brutal corporate gladiatorial contests
only he knew where he was
tonight.
And what this
Cedric was all about.
Cedric
had a clear tendency
propensity
a persistent preference
to defer his obligation
for actual presence.
Old friends got together
to peck and paw.
Relative’s Funerals
All social obligations
large or small
Mr. Cedric
sent his fond regrets
to one and all.
And his absences
had become
conspicuous
Cedric finally
had them all
right where
he wanted them
(to stay)
away
(that was)
right where
they had left him
years ago
so sure of themselves
and his ability
to remain
put.
As an anchor
a channel marker
a tombstone molding
denoting their past.
Cedric was intended
to be their own little
hometown version of Dorian Gray.
But now
He was nowhere to be found
information sketchy
Heads left scratching
at the end of the day
with no word come from him
to repeat, misquote and betray.
Cedric ordered another one
Smiled at the bartender
and thought….
“How’s that feel ?
How’s that taste ?
VQ 10/30/07
