Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Poem - Tears of a Cafe Window


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just before it snows
on lake street
a garbage truck
runs over the tears
of a cafe window

no -- the tears
of condensation
on the cafe window
drilled through
the garbage truck
like diamond bullets
reducing the vehicle
to a flaming ruin

no

no

the truck is gone
& drops of water
keep sliding
silently
down

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Poem - Lipstick on the Pig

you questioned everything
which was good practice at thinking

but this kind of thought does not solve reality
that was never to be solved

which is not saying nothing matters
because everything matters

choose the sane way
by giving more than you take

when you have something
tell and let it go without elaboration

all these essays and discussions
don't have to keep speaking

other people will be
wanting lipstick on the pig

surely through all of this sustaining
find the joyfulness of a child

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Poem - The Pistol Tattoos

she has tattoos below her navel
2 colts single-action cocked & outlined in blue
drawn so as if she could pull them

her elvis smile rests lightly
thumbs hooked through the beltloops
with the faded blue jeans

-- - ------

2/14
Escondido

Poem - Google Translate

this star
this life
this place
reader is many places
all over the earth

the moon rises
a window lighted

.

gwiazdy
to życie
to miejsce
Czytnik jest wiele miejsc
całej ziemi

księżyc wschodzi
oświetlone okno


.

эта звезда
это жизнь
это место
Читатель многих местах
по всей земле

Восходит луна
освещенные окна

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dieser Stern
dieses Leben
diesem Ort
Leser an vielen Stellen
überall auf der Erde

der Mond aufgeht
ein Fenster erleuchtet

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aquesta estrella
aquesta vida
aquest lloc
lector és molts llocs
tota la terra

la lluna s'aixeca
una finestra il.luminada

Poem - The Ballad of the Narco Submarine

this is the ballad of the narco boat
fully submersible to 30 ft
air-conditioned for the long dark haul
pushed by fast diesels
across the death of the sea

departed at night with no stars seen
out from uncharted cliffs mud and mango trees
we stood out north northeast in the swell
at 3 am we hit an uncharted reef
and sank with 4 tons of cocaine

the designers were appalled
and so were the accountants and bosses
sealed in the deep our names won't be called
they said it would be a short trip
and the money would be paid cash on return

the sea moves and the distant shore waits
in the jungles new leaves grow
boxes and plastic bags are filled for the subs
farmers and poor boys in need line up
being made ready to go

the dock is rotten and the planks sigh
up the bundles go one by one
a child watches and is innocent enough to be afraid
afraid of the periscope and green fiberglass
afraid for the driver afraid of the sea

this is the ballad of the narco sub
across the death of the sea
mary mary mother of god pray for us
forever now we're under the water
la campana de la aldea se agrieta próxima
vez que
suene

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Poem - Prelude and Fuge No. 5 in D, by Bach / The Racing Course of a Life

the racing
course of
a life

middle age
resisting
being spent
by the
trajectory
set by youth

eyes tear
but you
promise yourself
you are
not crying

explain
it is only
the light
in that certain
part of day

at the wheel
of a shiny
automobile

impeccable
power suit
italian tie

behind you
a gulf blacker
than the road

in front a
dizzying peak
where dreams
can all die

the white
you will have
must have

you know

(To listen to the audio recording of this poem, click here.)

Mistakenly Finding Compassion for the Army of Egypt

Today, I thought I read "EGYPTIAN ARMY SHELTERS STRAY ANIMALS" and I was moved at the compassionate nature -- totally unexpected, of the Egyptian Army. What depth of wonder is related to the things happening in this world? Can you say for sure where it ends? What a fool was I to think otherwise, mired in negative reflexive thinking. I resolved, through this example, to be positive, for more positivity to manifest.

Then I re-read the headline, and it was "ALBANY POLICE SHELTER STRAY ANIMALS". Holding to my new resolve, no matter how misguided, I shall still reserve compassion for the Egyptian Army, and especially of the Police Department of Albany, NY.

Tuesday, February 08, 2011

Poem - all changed

the front
of this morning

inescapable
once faced

sun no challenge
air no challenge

time accepted

the room
my steady hands

same speech
same thoughts

same action
all changed

Wednesday, February 02, 2011

Poem - The Quest

porn star looks for
noah's ark
clued in by bible

finds it in turkey
no but meets a lieutenant
in the airforce

finds it in russia
no but meets an acrobat
with eyes like a gypsy

at the shores of
the caspian sea
or black stained oil malta

she says goodbye to
the motor launch

she says goodbye
to old thinking

she surrenders

ii.

in egypt

a man tries to sell her
a nail from the ark
wrapped in cotton

the box is small
and rectangular
and false

in israel

there is a rare photo
or map of the ark
much confused

shop closed
old german lady dead
window broken

she surrenders again

iii.

before you know it
she is back in LA

the only thing she
kept is a glass charm
for good luck from fez

noah's ark is everywhere
she will never drown

Poem - Snow Stop

southern california flawless
sunny day after day

i miss how the snow
stopped everything

you couldn't do a
thing only wait

envy even the smallest
bird who was still free

Tuesday, February 01, 2011

New Word - Dysons

Dysons

The peculiar squeaking noises a Dyson vacuum makes while sucking.

"As I vacuumed, the machine emitted a barrage of dysons, like sound effects reminiscent of a Woody Allen movie."