2005-06-07 Collection

AUGURY

Today
I stepped on an ant
I did not mean it . . .
He was in the wrong
place
at the wrong time
or it was the end of his allotted
days
I did not cry

Some day
I will be
in the wrong
place
at the wrong time
or
maybe it will be the end
of my allotted days . . .

 

OPTIMIST

I have walked this shore for hours . . .
There is othing
but sea and sky
shell and sand
and sun
No "Friday's" footsteps
or sign of "Eve"
yet I know they are around
somewhere

On t.v. this morning
I heard there are 26 armed conflicts
going on in our world today
and that 33 of our states still have the death penalty
That's why I came to the sea today . . .
To see if God had forgotten us

He hasn't . . .
On t.v. this morning
I saw
that another baby had been born

 

PRESENTS TO MYSELF

Silence in a world of din
Calm in a sea of frenzy
Peace in a world of strife
These things I give to me

Courage in a world of fear
Knowledge in a sea of ignorance
Patience in a world of chaos
These things I give to me

Life in a world of destruction
Love in a sea of indifference
Hope in a world of despair
These things I give to you
. . . from me

 

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER

The other day
I met a deaf child . . .
His face was troubled
as he stood before me
gesturing frantically
trying to get me to understand
the nature of his distress

I had no inkling
or clue
to tell me of his needs
so I wrapped him in my arms
and held him close

Now I know how God must feel
as I genuflect
and gesture frantically
before Him
trying to tell Him
of my anguish

Somehow
even in my dumbness
my message must get through
and I can feel His arms
fold around me
holding me close

 

WAR GAMES*

When we were small "war" was fun - bang, bang,
You're dead!
Didn't mean much
Except maybe a short argument about
Who ' got' whom.

It really didn't matter a lot
because no matter who was 'got'
the worst thing ever hurt was ego.

It was O.K. to get up
after a few minutes
and go home to mom
for a box of cookies
and some milk.

Now, we're big
And in Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq
it's not a game anymore.

Now, bang, bang means
(If you're the one that's 'got')
that you don 't get up
... death by war
.
But
You still get to go home to mom
only this time, you are in the box
and the only things being served
are gallons of tears
And plates of sorrow

*War Games won an Alabama State Poetry Award

 

 

PHOBIA
When I was small I had a fish
I loved that fish but
It died
They flushed it.

When I was big
I had a woman
I loved tat woman but
Love died
She flushed it.

Now you know why I cry
Everytime I go to the bathroom...

 

ARE THEY MAD? *

They wanted me to be
one of the six
that carried your box

Are they mad...?

I can hardly carry your memory
and they want me to bear
your body...
Are they mad?

Why aren't they happy
that I got out of bed ...,
that I got in the car...
that I stood in the church ...
that I didn't scream and tear my hair?

Why won't they leave me
in peace...
or
in pieces

Are they truly mad?

No...

I

am___________________________

*Hon. Mention Poetry Soc. Of Va. Annual Contest

 

PARAPHRASE

This is the dead land
This is the cactus land
Here the stone images
Are raised, heree they receive
The supplication of a dead man's hand
under the twinkle of a fading star.
The Hollow Man
t.s. eliot

These ae the corridors I wander
this is where I lay my head

This is where I pen my verse
and too many dreams are turned to lead

Where critics read my words . . .
'They're much too gloomy', it is said

Byt rephrase Eliot
and my life unfurls ...

'Here their stone walls are raised
Here they create the soals of 'living dead'
in their 'cactus land'
Hearing my supplications
in the shadows of their endless bars.'

 

80 PROOF

Prometheus, my brother
I know your rock is hard
and I feel your pain

Brother, thank you for the fire
of wisdom
that you brought me
but I must lay it down

The vulture
tearing at your liver
to reach you
and I fear his return
should he see its glow
in my hands

I'd rather live in
darkness
than sacrifice my liver . . .
Without it
how could I process
all the booze I need
to endure
this miserable life?

 

WHITE FLAG
I have hoisted my white flag
as high as it will go and yet
I am still under fire................
Can't you see?......................
All I want is detente..............
My flimsy fort........................
of simple words....................
has been battered................
by your invective..................
I
sue
for
peace
No
quarter
asked
Put
a
muz
zle
on
your
mouth
and
set
me
free

 

THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
We sat in the candlelight
a crisp, white tablecloth between us
I reached out
and our rich, red wine
spilled in random spatter...
The resulting improvised 'Rorschach'
was now open for interpretation

Of course, I saw an 'open wound'
while you saw
an 'opening rose'...
my vision was 'dark'
as usual
and yours was 'optimistic'

After dinner
out of sight of any others
you tore at me
with your 'thorns'...
and I bl ed

Thus it was
that the 'open wound' of my
Rorschach
and the 'rose' of yours
were no longer open
to interpretation

 

OPEN AND SHUT
I open
my mind
and madness spills out

I open
my heart
and pain pours out

I open
my eyes
and the world rushes in

I open
my mouth
and
scream...

Shut the casket

 

 

 

 

KNOW THYSELF
Some think it was the court
that sentenced me
- WRONG
I convicted myself

Some, say parole will pardon me
- WRONG
I must free myself

Some, say I know nothing
they are RIGHT
because I know only myself

If only I can know nothing
for but a little bit longer
I just might get out of here
alive...

 

 

INSTINCTS
Once
I sat in Central Park
and fed a squirrel
He was cute. . .
He sat on my knee
took my peanuts
then peed on my leg
and fled

I forgave him;
he was wild
hungry
and didn’t know any better

On the other hand
you were cute. . .
And you sat on my lap
took my love
and crapped on it

What was your excuse?