Winter Garden Magazine February 2016 - Daniel & Mindy Hungerford | Page 43

Artist Spotlight
After dividing the last four years between his native Pennsylvania and Florida,
Ron Yazinski and his wife Jeanne have recently become permanent residents
of Winter Garden.
A retired high school English teacher, Ron is inspired by the personalities
and energies of his new hometown. Initially enticed by the climate of central
Florida, he finds the hospitality and openness of the people who live in this
marvelous little town, refreshing and rejuvenating.
Ron’s poems have appeared in many journals, including Strong Verse, The
Edison Literary Review, Chantarelle’s Notebook, Centrifugal Eye, and Pulsar.
He is also the author of the chapbook HOUSES: AN AMERICAN ZODIAC, and
two volumes of poetry, SOUTH OF SCRANTON and KARAMAZOV POEMS.

THE WRITER REVIEWS DIRECTIONS HOME
Coming out of the Orlando Airport,
Avoid the crowds pushing to the Magic Kingdom buses,
And don’t be distracted by the furry, big-headed characters of Chip and Dale
Promising you that a ride through their digital hell will be fun.
You know better than that.
After picking up the car, the first thing to look for
Is the Universal billboard of Harry Potter jabbing his wand directly at you,
That for the same amount of money it takes to
feed a homeless family for a month,
He’ll cast a spell on you to share his tawdry problems with Voldemort.
It’s there you take the second exit to 528 West;
Keep left in the Sun Pass Lanes,
Otherwise the ad with R2-D2 and C-3PO for Star Wars Days at Disney,
Might seduce you with the Force to help
In the battle against the Evil Galactic Empire,
As if you have nothing better to do.
Go about eight miles.
At the billboard advertising Universal’s Springfield,
Home of The Simpsons, the all-American family
Loved for the happy endings of their twenty-two minute nightmares,
Take the ramp for the Florida Turnpike.
In no time at all, you’ll be home in Winter Garden,
Sitting at your desk, staring at a white screen,
Listening to the fireworks from Universal,
Followed by those from Disney,
Celebrating the destruction of all the imaginary evils
They created for tourists today.
Once they’ve finished,
And the dog stops howling,
You’ll accept that you’re no match for corporate dreaming;
So turn off the computer,
And join your wife in bed.

FEBRUARY 2016 

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WINTER GARDEN MAGAZINE  

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43