sweetly say there will be/ no terrible retribution

sweetly say there will be
no terrible retribution 

in a race to ruin every kind of kindness

people bravely command 

the end of any kind of affection

(can we really be held responsible for this?)

the objective and the prize?

there is no objective or prize

(we are beyond logic)

there is oblivion 

there is annihilation 

there is silence 

imprisoned

laying in a grave 

the sun burning down 

ashes to ashes and dust to dust

it is ridiculous
all i want to do is hear you sing
in that language i didn't understand
under the shadowy eves

and teach me about life

but in the sweeping searchlights

of these focused times

with sweat running down our spines

and a sour taste in my mouth

ashes to ashes and dust to dust

we go on like there's 

nothing to explain 

.....

America, 2026
 

i guess it must be fate

i passed you the other day

and i pretended you were not just like me

with hopes ideas and fears 

and much to do in life

later i came back with the police

i wanted them to lock you up or make you nice

but the cops said you were harmless 

and sent you to a country in africa

after that for some reason

i have a hard time sleeping at night

and i don't enjoy my walk past where you stood

day or night rain or shine

i guess it must be fate

.....

America, 2026

there is something frightening in what we say

there is something frightening in what we say

anything at all is born with intention 

mostly to annihilate the moment 

or more like seeing pristine snow

a glittering layer that would wilt 

from the warmth of your fingers

and shoveling it 

-----0

a poem for this rain / on this day

1

a poem for this rain

on this day 

each rain drop 

i swear i won't forget

2

long drawn our dreams

i hear the microwave

now i'll write you

how it rained

3

i'm remembering

how we clasped

on a day like this

a long time ago

4

it is amazing later

how far we can go

how far we can be

lost to each other 

especially after

being so familiar

it is amazing

for raindrops 

to never change

5

a gale 

a sky

rain

it is amazing to 

think fondly 

of no one in 

particular

then always back

to you

x

the duchess of pearls

i met the duchess of pearls tonight
she admits she does not know what that means

“duchess of pearls”

she heard it somewhere once and it stuck in her mind

she has many outward forms, for instance

that of a grand queen, or a goddess

she smiles and winks

tonight someone stole her sleeping bag

when she gets enough money

she’ll buy a combo meal

she has 8 and I give her two

i apologize when i walked away at first when she shouted “hey!”

her name is Connie and she’s making it work no matter what

just like everyone else

she blesses me and i feel much better

for this amends to the duchess of pearls .. grand queen and goddess

-----

Pacific Coast Highway

Laguna Beach

Night

all your mental possessions

all your mental possessions
burned and at first you cried 

now as a gypsy free 

what did you ever need

----

is somewhere else anywhere

is somewhere else anywhere
hovering anagapesis

like a phantom plantation

wherein the master lives

shuffling through

different thoughts like 

beetles pinned on cards

held in a cabinet built by

anecdoche 

and knowing better

you may say that some acts

must be done with cruelty 

resurrection in one 

strongly felt dawn you arose to 

every decapitated thought

resprouted a garden more of delights

-------

half is here the other half/ is somewhere else

half is here the other half
is somewhere else

isn't that they way things go

though you always figured  

we'd be full 

but time cuts us in half

days cut more slices 

i tally the score

it halves the half

and sometimes more  

but on the other hand

my brain is full

stuffed through busting

at the seams 

i should let it

all hang out 

fill all my fictional halfs

and imagined strain

-----

the ocean is the color of green stone

the ocean is the color of green stone

with some birds crying as they fly

i watch deborah enter the water
duck under a series of waves 

she swims alongside vigorous 

bull kelp with strands 

bigger than your arm 

the bulbs of the kelp bob

so does she 

when she comes out

and is shaking the water

from her arms and legs 

a bystander says

"that was well timed!"

this beautifully deceptive day

 

currents give and take 

a water can drag you down 

my darling puts herself out there

every time she goes

------

Portuguese beach, Mendocino

the statue of buddha falls

statue of buddha falls

head breaks off 

rolls under the bed

what a beautiful day 

----

12.18.25

thursday before christmas

thursday before christmas
a murder of crows circle  

cawing loudly flying up 

flying down but not landing 

i watch them from

the kitchen window 

it reminds me of 

this plastic skull i have

almost life sized with 

lights inside it 

the skull is black and 

sinister 

the lights glow gently

change colors slowly 

deep blue purple orange

yellow blue green 

burning in the depths

i always wanted to show

this skull of mine to a

dear friend 

i think he would have

liked it 

he would have understood

i keep it on my desk

i think of my friend 

the crows have gone 

------

For Jack W

see yourself with a new car/ the beautiful suede of the seats

see yourself with a new car

the beautiful suede of the seats

see yourself as an emperor

about to be killed by the mob

see yourself as a farmer 

with hundreds of acres to mow

image the ocean's embrace

cold absolute and dark 

visualize a clear winters day 

sparkling bright and 20 below 

see into the edge of a volcano

churning lava steam swirling

abide between extremes 

like bubbles in the stream

not harmed by anything

flow quickly or slowly 

through the savage rapids

waterfalls off the highest cliffs

float 

become like water

go into the earth

turn into air 

become one with the sky