Category: Poetry

my gaze held fast
until there was nothing
just the rising sun
that segued our tender night
to the promise of another

but promises
are so frail and fleeting
like the brittle leaves of autumn
like tears of joy
like the taste of you
sweet on my lips

if you are lucky
you will carry one night with you

~ ~ ~

the slag-shattered
glass of the future
moves frail and slow
through the arc of the ages
who’ve waited and watched
at the waning of truth
‘neath the brittled moon
of deliberate ancients

a fractured orb
that revolves in the void
of the others that see
what we knew to be
ever the voice of the lost
in plaintive cries
to the light of the dawning
that heralds the word
of this time that’s upon us

I am the bud and the blossom
I am the late-falling leaf
I am the arc fulfilled
of the here and the now
to hold us firm in the fire
of visions and longing
for what we were
and for all that we are to be
here in our heart
of this moment eternal
that seeks to flee
like a squandered teardrop
forever away from
our failing grasp

hold fast

NOTE: italicized lines are from Paul Dunbar’s “The Paradox”.

spend more time trashin’
than I do replyin’
the shit keeps comin’
it’s so damned tryin’

scams and porno
just on and on
fuckin’ frustrating
keeps up — I’m gone

I wanna write poetry
not fight stupidity

fiercely knowing — worldly wise
sleek as steel — tall and strong
swift and cunning — motor running
she might let you in, but not for long

her soul is free — she’ll not be caged
no mortal man will keep her tied
her spirit a prrr-fect beast enraged
she’s crushed all those who’ve ever tried

poor fool who craves this comely goddess
is hopelessly addicted
there’s only one word for this life-force
that word, my friend, is — wicked!

it’s
my
birth day

february 18th

the date
of the month
I was born

74 years ago

so — wha’cha’ thinkin’?
happy — birth — day

well
not if you’d been there

I was an “undesired”
an inconvenient child
a discard
to be thrown away

though I was healthy
had all my fingers
all my toes
and lungs of a tenor

no matter

I was labeled — MISTAKE!
misbegotten
unfortunate
a problem

ultimately
to be left behind
alone
abandonned

so
I was placed
in a cold metal orphanage crib
frequently
with others
like me

in a big
sparse
cold room

overseen
by strange
grey-habit’d
amorphous figures

I had been tried
convicted
sentenced
for my early life
to know confusion

know shame

know the sorrow
of the unwanted

without ever
seein’
my accusers

we’d won the big war
over there

in here
my battle had just begun

and for the next few years
struggle I did

but some of that’s
for another story
which does include a hero

here I was
condemned

guilty only
of the crime
of inconvenience

so
today
it is my birth day

some
happy / birth / day —- huh?

well
apparently not for all
who were present that day

happy birthday?

hmmm…

lotsa ole friends have passed away
COVID-19’s running astray
normal life is on delay
the world’s nerves are in a fray

but hey
as for me today
I’m doin’ — OK!

rising effortlessly high
t’ward clouds of pearl white
clearing every hurdle
landing sure and light

steed of goddess magic
possessed of purest heart
endurance that’s olympic
ride’s steady from the start

I gallop her freely reined
letting soar the sterling soul
her spirit not restrained
the joy of freedom is the goal

arching gracefully through the air
jumping an indigo sky mare

it’s suspended in flight
aloft on the westerly breeze
billowing up
then wafting down the cliff

I’m mesmerized

stretching before me
undulating azure blue
falling away
over earth’s edge
into forever

unfurling below
a white ribbon of sand

fragile

pristine

a breath between eternal sea
and towering rock facades
flanking left and right
in sweeping panorama

Indian Beach
the Oregon Coast
in all it’s majesty

this is my summer perch
since first I discovered it
thirty years ago

now it offers me brief refuge
from the COVID pandemic
sweeping the world

my thoughts are adrift

just then
the breeze freshens
disrupts my reverie
tosses my hair
buffers my chest

I shudder
bracing against vertigo
swept up in a feeling

oh to be un-tethered
weightless
no longer earthbound
like that Osprey

my eyes close
my soul lifts
takes wing
soars skyward

I’m flying!

I can not believe the wonders I see
wee sprites join the dance — then fairies — then elves
this enchanted vale awhirl below me
mythical spirits enjoying themselves

dare I go down there and join in the fun
my mind is spinning – of course I must dare
so down the mountainside quickly I run
then burst through the trees – but nothing is there

how can this be they were just here – but wait
could this perhaps be that mushroom I ate

early songbirds will know spring’s breeze
crocus will know the embrace of bees
my heart’s bursting with bliss
for I know love’s ecstasy

the amazing man of magic
the hero of the weak
defender of the helpless
my always gentle friend

when the footsteps in the hall
woke me in the night
I would feel you tug my hand
and under we would go

through the secret passage
you kept beneath my bed
to the waiting viking ships
and off to fight the dragons

in the land of snow and castles
carved from clear blue ice
in flowing robes of fur
we struck with swords of gold

you were very brave
in the face of fear
I knew you would appear
never laughing at my tears

when the grating metal rasp
of door latch in the dark
would bolt me from my sleep
you would have the horses ready

we would thunder off to dry gulch
to wrangle up our posse
save the townfolk from the bad guys
and return when all was calm

you were very swift
in a snap you would arrive
in time to get me out alive
helping me survive

below the ocean we would dive
in your crystal submarine
down to the coral world
marveling at the creatures

we would leave the sub
to swim among the wonders
to dart and spin and float
far from pain and worry

you were very smart
my midnight flight arranger
you knew to rocket us from danger
far from any evil stranger

we would soar to venus
in your special silver starship
or to some other distant planet
and do battle with space monsters

and when they all were slain
we would fly the milky way
circle round the bright star clusters
thankful to be weightless

no matter how afraid
I knew that you would find me
knew you’d never judge me
I knew how much you loved me

knew you’d have me back by day break
with the dark night far behind us
and the warmth of welcomed morning
would once again embrace us

the midnight footsteps now are quiet
the ships and rockets sailed away
no more trouble comes to dry gulch
the crystal sub so long in dry dock

my final adventure now unfolds
it’s time I go this one alone
you have traveled on ahead
all nightmares brought to stead

I’m not sure I ever thanked you
perhaps took your love for granted
without you I’d never made it
you are emblazoned ever in my heart

lips lush as cognac
open softly to kisses
urgently linger

the taste of your kiss on my lips
I passed through security
turned and fixed on your gaze
praying it was not the last time
I’d look into your beautiful eyes

I wandered dazed down the ramp
to the jet that would take me
to the fury of hell
I locked your face of love
deep in my heart

That cherished image
proved my grasp on sanity
through two years of horror
through the sting of separation
the bitter taste of war
the foul stench of death

I return this day
facing reality at 30,000 feet
the salt of sadness on my cheeks
bitter on my lips

not of my making
but I feel the guilt of war
I’m frightened to see
to touch you again
but I burn to do so
I’ve been waiting so long

so different now
my hands angry with bloodshed
innocence is lost

I fear a kiss
from my killer’s mouth
will forever defile
your precious lips
lush as sweet cognac
that day we parted.

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