Friday, September 18, 2020

Poem - all the curse words




all the curse words
for this year
used up 
but i was the cause
to start with 

what a savage
savage world view
to feel a curse 
even once 
would work


>>>

Poem - the skies promise stars

the skies promise stars
we get plenty of them 
how the universe loves us
this autumn night millions
every conceivable path 
your feet touching them 
dipping your toes in
a midnight lake





**

Sunday, September 13, 2020

Poem - in the blue bathrobe in the rain

in the blue bathrobe in the rain
up to your elbows in water
trying to get the drain unstuck
at the base of the driveway 

there are some thing you will remember
the weight of the robe soaking wet
seeing the mark above the garage
where you knocked bikes off a rack



***
oh what a charming stream 
passed over by me but not to itself 
i was here or there blocked by thoughts
concerned amazed by silly asides

while stream never moved it just flowed
leaves in it by day rippling stars at night 
through meadows of grass and many copses of trees 
a pleasant scene of a pleasant stream 

the mind conquered and the soul reminded
by the stream that as all our plans are like leaves
that it takes and makes disappear round the bend 
around another bend and so on till all is gone


They mark it DEAD END
But I call it a the start of something new
For at your feet begins a meadow 
Full of tunnels of dew and leaves still green 
And if you go further you find a stream 
Whose waters and shimmering sands
Glint coldly gold and silver specks 
Alive with sleeping fish nature’s body 

Friday, September 11, 2020

Poem - shhh! do not speak

shhh! do not speak
the moment is so delicately poised

like a tiger about to pounce 
like a candle could go out 



==

I dream I am in back my routine job in Heaven, and God has lots of things to say because it is Monday



I dream I am in back my routine job in Heaven, and God has lots of things to say because it is Monday. When I wake up I can't remember what my job is in Heaven, but I dream about it from time-to-time. 

But back to the dream:

"Take a look at all these new fish." says God.

I look at them. 

"I want you to sort them just like the other ones before, OK?"

"Gotcha." I say. 

"You sure you know what I'm talking about?"

"Yes sir."

God isn't sure but he's willing to let me do my best.

"I'm going to round up some angels to do some encouraging in Brest by 4 O'Clock."

"That sounds nice."

"Doesn't it? It will be fine. I'll be back when you're done with the fish. We might paint rain this afternoon, so it is nice and silvery."

Before I can reply, God puts on his grey sweater and heads across the cool white room of clouds and out the door full of moonbeams and pillars of sunshine. 


Poem - he stood there in the play area hood up

he stood there in the play area sweatshirt hood up 
dressed in blue and gray and black
watchful and hostile for some reason 
while his wife or girlfriend pushed a little girl in a swing
he kept watching to see if anyone would look at him 
and he'd push an empty child's swing 
next to the swing his child was swinging in back and forth 
sometimes the full swing and the empty swing 
would be swinging at the same time in the 
same direction 


**


Poem - for every threat or every other normal thing

for every threat or every other normal thing
here is this day striven out with dereliction or grace
that converts strain into sudden pleasure and stain into meaning

emotional pleas from trees black bark and yellowing leaves
not so many going now to fall but soon a waterfall of reds and yellows
every street and alley canyons of hue and the mind begotten anew

more days in there with duty or sloth patched or sundered 
whittled down like droplets of ink into a black story of a black night 
or unexpectedly lifted when every angel's plea is detected 


***

Thursday, September 10, 2020

Poem - it is foggy but

it is foggy but 
keep walking forward like you know what you are doing
the trail is slick and you are alone as you go you can't go back
but you pretend at the end of the walk there is no sense of loss

go in and boil water 
put away stray groceries and make sure everything is placed 
as if you are on a ship bound for the northwest passage
the sky the ice a milky hue one and the same with the sea

memories like waves 
how you thought it would be impossible to make such a way
to be alone on a path in the fog with children far away
on their own walk and their own voyages you do not take


----

Poem - normal spacing

normal spacing in fall
seen through one window
one room one couch
three paintings
eight pillows two throws
one ottoman one tray
two mugs one glass of water
18 sheets of paper 2 written on one crumpled
eight pieces of mail one post-it
six pens 1 pencil 
two cats one girlfriend
one boyfriend four books
two newspapers
three smart phones
(one that is used as a clock)


----

florida street south


Poem - oh you know, to go on

oh you know, to go on

to write on 

it takes courage and a bit of sut

stu

stupidity or stubbornness

even some humor don't you see



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