Saturday, February 28, 2015

No Harm, No Foul...

I come to Listen
by the Water
sounds to me
like lazy, lilting Laughter
as when you get the joke
a few seconds after
you should have
for not paying
proper attention
to the speaker...
 
It is a Weakness
of mine as well
that sometimes
i'm in such a hurry
to tell my own story
I don't Hear you as well
as I know I should...
 
Will try to let
you finish, Friend;
give me a nod
when you near the end
i'll be nodding my head
so you know I have heard you
and look up with a smile
once in a while...
 
We all have something,
some, maybe just one thing
to say;
what harm in the Listening?...
Dec. 27, 2015
 

No Footfalls Here in the Forest...

Babbling Brook,
what have you  learned,
prattling on,
whirlpools and eddies,
over slippery rock
you must go steady
that is why
always the staff or stick
but still
as always
one must be quick;
a Fool falls in Forest
and all the animals hear him
and bray his name...
 
Forest floor,
the musty, musky odor I adore;
to pick away the moist leaves
to the black Earth beneath
the tiny beads,
so delicate
as to wipe away,
clean in your hands...
 
Moss and Lichen,
now ever-present Green,
an insistent color
it would seem
yet it never looks lost
or misplaced;
therein lies the Lesson
if I am guessing correctly...
Dec. 28, 2015




 

Epiphany...

Don't need a Burnin' Bush
or a Pillar of Fire
or a house to fall
from the sky on my sister;
this Fire's been lit
for a long Time
but like David said,
" it's been a long Time gone"
climbing out of the Dark
and sometimes it is
the tiniest of sparks that ignites
 not your passions,
for those have always
been yours to share,
but your Light
to truly Shine,
to make another wonder
just what is behind
and it is then,
in a flash
brighter than a Supernova
you realize it had been
there all along,
not behind you,
whipping you forward
but before you with open arms,
but the opposing forces,
within and without,
leading to Distrust and Doubt
led to you Question everything
until you figure some of it out...
Pardon my later arrival...
Feb. 28, 2015

Friday, February 27, 2015

Duh...

Modern Miracle
of Science
or should it be called
a Natural Wonder;
in the current
Scheme of Things
what is it you Dream,
my Friends,
for not had one
or is it forgotten them,
dropping old toys
when they are no longer needed,
the lawn's been raked,
the Garden's seeded,
so think might
pause a while
and do a little reading,
for I consider it and Act,
an Art, a Lost Beauty,
not just,
"doing nuffin",
it is upward movement,
it is Home Improvement,
it is taking Time out
of the Hours of your Life
for your Mind to find
(now listen very carefully,
for this may
blow your Mind)
to find the Moments
of your Life that matter,
on can almost hear it,
the karmic, cosmic laughter,
but then, is that God...
Feb. 25, 2015

Birds of Fire...

The Little Death,
Sweet Oblivion;
only now
have I come to  know
the space between
Nothingness and Eternity,
returning me,
burnishing me;
that fault lies within
us, after all, Will,
for the Lesson
was long ago
but this Waking has taken
a different Meaning,
wonder what messages
I have gleaned
from the Infinite
Star Machines
that wake each of use
in their turn
and it seems
some of us wake
much earlier than most
making me wonder
if I am Kitchen Staff
or am I one of the Hosts
at this Cosmic Gathering,
or is it merely
a comical smattering,
Towers of Babel
and endless chattering
but one thing learned,
though I could always
be wrong,
on this still dark
(as usual) Morn,
I am not a guest...
Feb 24, 2015

Thursday, February 26, 2015

Sharon (His Plain, His Song)...

Beleaguered  Angel
with flashing Eyes,
commanding the Troops
and brooking no compromise
but, at times, yes,
they're tired
and you can see the hurt;
for the lies
told to her face
she's had to swallow,
for those she's seen
who wallow in the degradation
and the dirt,
and the schemes
of those who "play" The System,
dreaming ever of free rides,
worse yet, the Vultures
with drooping shoulders
and bowed heads,
in their quasi-sacerdotal disguise,
trying to pluck at heart-strings
they are amazed
to still find there,
for in this faded, jaded System
she is among The Few,
she Cares...
 
Carry on,
Dear Heart,
may your resolve
never fail,
you have been more help
to more people
than you will ever believe
and this is not the end
of your Courageous Tale...
Feb. 26, 2015

Tuesday, February 24, 2015

Leap of Faith (II)...

Walk,
keep the pace,
let the breeze
caress your face
as the first warm Day
after the Storms
dances around puddles,
jumps the mud,
walks on the sunny side;
Seasoned and Grizzled
Veteran of manys
the Winter Campaign,
it's been seen before,
he'll see it again
but it is he who stops
a moment
and with a deep breath
takes it all in
and makes of it
whatever you take from it
'cos he's just saying
or maybe it's a Psalm
and not a song or a poem
for it's been said

"that they who sing
pray twice"

and we surely need
all the help
we can possibly get,
this High Wire Act
will have no net

and Wallendas we are not...
Feb. 22 2015

Old Bat and the Boy Wonder...

Dizzying heights of Conceit
or Demoralized Depths,
nothing close to fifty shades here;
in this World
chance is always 50/50,
only two sides to the coin
the grading is pass or fail
best you somehow
leave a trail for yourself
but take the cannoli
bread crumbs,
we already know
would be of no avail here...

Unlikely pairing;
Karma and the Cross,
Preacher and Agnostic
Shaman and Christian,
peering into a Neglected World
and wondering what's become of
the Lost Boys,
the Fallen Women...

Choose carefully
the bricks you build
this house upon
for the Winds of Adversity
will huff and puff
and blow your house down,
batten down the hatches,
hitch up ol' Paint,
think it's Time to go
on the War Path
but this Time
the trophies will be
for all to share...
Feb. 21, 2015

Jig Saw Pieces...

Dispassionately write
about the Strength
of the Emotion you Feel,
separate yourself from yourself
in layers, perhaps,
metaphysical,
but, then,
why is it you look
so quizzical,
for if you look
you might find
you are swathed likewise;
bundled and trundled away,
warm and snug in the cocoon
of your own making,
hoping for the day
you might reawaken
from the chrysalis
emerging a better Self...
 
Pie in the Sky,
why not
Cake by the Lake,
where Willow,
as ever,
weeps
and the cattails sway
and keep the beat;
the Now, the Present
that is never ours to keep,
too soon gone,
too soon gone...
 
Ask,
I will answer,
will you do the same,
after that
you take your chances
for you never know
what might dance upon this lawn...
Feb. 21, 2015
 

Monday, February 23, 2015

Eternity's Urkel (Did i Do That?)...

Is it the Thought that counts
or is it
the Road of Good Intentions;
no good deed goes unpunished
(so they say...)
and who are "they"
then anyway
for it is they who seem to know
as all these little adages
creeping and crawling
to be written
the subway walls
and tenement halls
and can I use that
if it has already been mentioned?
 
Come along
and let us cry together
for you know right now
I have to stop and take a knee,
the wind was knocked out from me
and I need a moment,
maybe longer,
to gaze back into myself
for now
and see if I recognize
the Demon
who was on the prowl last night
and if I caught his name,
for to name a thing
is to know a thing
and then see where it fits
within this Game...
Feb 23, 2015
 

Saturday, February 21, 2015

Can You Smell the Neglect?...

"The Great Unwashed"
takes on it's true meaning
in a room full of Homeless,
for when the first thing lost
is your Dignity
and you must choose
between washing yourself
or eating for free,
the choice is as simple
as the filth you smell and see
that stands before you...

What doors are open,
what alley or doorway
do you stand within,
hoping for a chance
to wash or even toss the socks
you've worn for the last week,
with knees weak
and belly empty
for the soup kitchens
deny you entry
because your hygiene
is a health issue?...
 
Grab a tissue,
shed and alligator tear,
there is nothing new
under the sun,
so the Bible says
yet this continues
year after year
but send your regards
in a check and a postcard;
thanks for oh so little,
my dears...
February 21, 2015
 

Friday, February 20, 2015

The Bridge Between...

Biting Wind,
snarling Dog of Winter,
howls again;
your hair could be like icicles
feel cold splinters
piercing fingertips
to the chilled bone,
no, make that marrow
and if you're unlucky enough
to be on your own
you might be discovered
on the morrow
turned to stone
like Bilbo's Orcs
without a campfire
to warm your frozen toes
for Winter kills,
Winter kills
but you go willingly
to the Old Man's Embrace
and this windy ten below
trying to get past my defenses
is just a taste
but I'll not have
my Last Supper
at that table...
 
Black to under lit,
to Grey comes Blue
turns White
and Rose come dancing,
the Line of Day
marked on the Horizon;
Thomaston and W. Main,
on the bridge
overlooking the River;
Night behind me,
Day before,
which way would you go
for I've never seen a Tomorrow
nor been back to Yesterday...
Feb. 20, 2015
 

Thursday, February 19, 2015

Parchment Moon...

Muted Moon,
Whispers of White
stalled in Sky
as Night explodes in
Silence;
yes,
the Calm After the Storm,
that,
is True;
when Earth
catches her Breath
and takes a Moment
to smooth her skirt,
for you know
She would never wear a dress
though
once (Upon a Time)
She wore a tunic...
 
Soft, but soft
Moon's Music holds sway;
again up at the Witching Hour
The Shaman in me
will have His Way;
The Unseen,
the Unbelievers
who say it does not Exist,
like religious Zealots,
fearing to argue,
to Hear another point,
lest their World
come to an End...
 
Don't send me postcards
where you are.
write me a letter
about where you want to be...
circa Dec 2014

Oh, Jerusalem...

Newly formed shine,
a wet glistening,
and if you listen
carefully,
you can hear
raindrops
on the last leaves
left upon
Library Park's lawn,
they ones that stay on
till Spring,
like the other brothers
down on Bank Street,
disappearing on Willow,
running free one E. Liberty
in the Shadow
of the Holy Land;
I was there
when it opened for a Day...

Did I tell you
by a Trail,
brambled and broken,
 not taken by others
I found,
in miniature,
the Tomb of Christ?...

What odds,
an agnostic
finds it there,
walking about
where it seemed
others dared not?...

Ah, there's the Lesson;
in the Question...

ThunderBolt...

Let not the Moment
be spoiled by
the Thought,
simply enjoy The Vision
which in you're caught;
different Thoughts
and Emotions
at diverse angles
bring different perspective;
Teach one,
from another
take Direction,
"Could you keep it down
in that section?",
Welcome to the Monkey House,
my Friend...

The Mad, Glorious
Sweep of it all;

bridges rebuilt,
Treasures
you will always keep
deep and dark
within recesses;
there,
where no one else
has dared to trespass,
I find you waiting,
no small respite,

yet energizing,
just the same...

I need not ever

speak your name aloud again
for you to know
it has ever been

for you...
Feb. 19, 2015


With Trembling Voice...

The sharp intake of Breath,
a quickening of the pulse;
I know that Voice
like the Birds that sing
in the Trees
and a warmth fills me,
I can feel it on my face;
little wonder the Arctic chill
of the past few days is broken,
for such is the effect
you have ever had on me
and even the Heavens smile,
sending Warmth and Sunshine
to the rest of the World
so all might share
in the Magic of the Moment,
understand and nod in agreement
that, yes, today
is a wonderful Day...

Never gone from my Heart
but back in my Life;
what greater Reason
have I,
what greater Inspiration
have I ever had
than the Thought of you?...

All pale in comparison,
all others fail
when I think I might begin again
without you;
I have always know this
One Truth,
what's more,
I have never stopped
Believing...
February 19, 2015

Wednesday, February 18, 2015

3 am - Sleeping Sickness (SlowlyCreeping)...

Waking,
need not look
to know what Time it is,
the Little Voice calls;
rise but do not shine,
for it begins with
an Inner Glow,
a heat rising,
an Invisible Sun,
a Desire deep,
a Need to Know...
 
Where was I
just moments ago,
where did Sleep take me,
on what Journey
did I go;
what did I Learn,
what else do I
need to know
before Day begins
and the Sins of Our Fathers
continue to smother,
Ambivalence
and Apathy
continue unencumbered,
for the Wagging Dog
entertains
but leaves you
in a fog, a wet rag
wondering where Truth lies,
where Truth lies,
Truth lies
(hmm, there's a concept)
realize the Truth has been a lie...
Feb. 18, 2015
 

Family Dinnner...

The Power of Friendship,
the Love of Life
overcomes all obstacles,
bridges gaps, fills voids,
soothes souls, eases Strife;
Souls in Union,
Stars that shine bright,
Eternity in a moment,
a Lifetime in a smile...

Come,
let me embrace you;
here is a taste
of true Reality,
here is what Life
was meant to be;
let me, for once, speak
without Fear and freely,
knowing i'm not being judged...

Look upon a Family;
content and happy
within themselves
as it should be;
Caring, Sharing,
Daring to call themselves,
"We",
Alive, Vibrant
as they were meant to be;
a model of how
life could easily be...
 
It as simple as Honesty,
with yourself and others;
Live this Life to the fullest,
for there is no other...
Feb. 17, 2015

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

It Only Takes a Moment...

Let the Spirits
carry me away,
let the Winds settle
to catch their breath
but a brief, soft moment,
a sigh,
pick me up,
gently,
taking me,
to who knows where?...
Would you care
if you were on
the Golden Stairs,
finding not the Slumbers,
but the Golden Dream
takes you there;

upon the Portal
would you give a hearty chortle,

wasting the moment,
Lost in yourself,
still,

after all,
or
would you heed the call
bounding up the stairs,
not caring where

the next foot falls?...
Feb. 10, 2015

 

Saturday, February 7, 2015

Height of Emotion II (Train of Thought)...

Now the Old Freight
has gone back,
actually,
this part of the tracks
is just part of the turnaround,
as the Train,
Old before the last World War,
went back,
then forth,
back,
then forth
for I don't know what
Good Reason
(it is on a track, after all)
and my track atop
and alongside
the rail is gone...

Again,
the Mad Gleam,
once more
another scheme,

and back upon the rail I go;
this Time
made so much easier
for the passing Freight,
its weight has compacted
the snow just right
and I can walk down
the pencil line
drawn in the sunlight,
softly whisper a name
that hasn't changed
all these years,
though I know better;
or do I,

or have I?...
Feb. 7, 2007





 

Odd Numbers...

How  many in
a Crowded House,
how many in
a Mob in the Street,
how many mMedals
on one Chest but
how many lines written
on the Wailing Wall;
how many Tears
make up the Sea,
how many Tears
left on that Trail?,
have been told
there are
Tears of the Sun,
Lagrime Mundi,
has always
been another one
of my favorite one...

How many Grains of Sand
along the Beach,
how many billion Stars,
all out of reach,;
how many Waves
until this piece of coral,
bleached beyond white,
finds a home upon some mantle
in the warm Fire Light
and the sandy, salty whisper
becomes an Earthbound Delight,
a relic of a Moon-Lit Night,
when two were hands squeezed
in wonder at the Sight
of a Communal Awareness
that comes only from
Appreciation of the Other
and Loss of Self,
floating in the Entire...
Feb. 6, 2015
 

Height of Emotion...

Monday Night
tracks untouched

since the Storm just passed
has had its way.
the soft white,
such a Delight,
shining bright
in the clear Moon Light,
to be seen along the rails
you know lay there
but remain to be seen...

An idea comes to Mind,

recalling Wallendas
and others
of their Kind;
atop the left rail
I precariously climb,
a dangerous six inches
from the ground;

planting my walking stick
into the Snow,
fourteen inches thick 
on either side of the rail,
no further than the
heel of my next step,
slowly I place my instep
upon the rail,
letting the Snow on either side
support and balance me...

And so down the tracks I go,
six inches off the ground;
My Winter Low-Wire Balancing Act...
Feb. 4, 2015
 

Tuesday, February 3, 2015

Leave Well, Enough...

Through the misty Morning fog
come Squirrel,
fat and sassy,
with a blackened nose
from having,
once again
dug up a nut
 to place somewhere else,
somewhere safe...
 
He does not see my
ground blind
of Wood and Leaf,
nor does he catch
my scent
for my last layer
is always
Wood-smoke...
 
Bouncing noiselessly
in the sodden leaves,
he starts and stops
looks here, looks there
'till he comes to
a fallen branch
forming a bridge
over a rock...
 
Upon his back
goes Squirrel
and jams the nut
in a notch somewhere
and goes off,
almost giggling
to himself...
 
...
The nut falls,
Crow descends;
his laughter,
and mine
never end...
Dec. 10, 2104
 

 
 

 
 

With a Twinkle...

Candle licks at Air,
in a room full;
fat and lazy,
not his Brother,
CampFire,
bound to one spot,
but rooted still
and warming Earth
a warm spot
on Mother's breast,
as another wayward child
stops to rest for the Night...
 
Other Flames
light Sky;
Cosmic Warriors,
(how long ago stilled
was their Battle Cry?)
for the Eyes of Heaven
never close but the
Spirits close their Eyes
and nod their heads,
having seen and knowing
what adapted and survived,
what stood stubborn
and is no more...
 
It is easy
to Die
for what you believe;
harder still
to live for it...
 

Monday, February 2, 2015

The Stupor Bowl...

Another Day
for drunken excuses,
Armchair Quarterbacks,
Vandals and Looters,
let's all go down
to the nearest Hooters
and make Fools of ourselves;
The Stupor Bowl,
welcome to The Fold,
the Brotherhood of Macho,
scream and flex your muscles
before you, veins popping,
there's no stopping you,
you plan on drinking brew
till you can't see straight...
 
My Heroes don't game
kid's games for three hours,
hopped up on steroids
and bovine growth hormones
so the can feel false Power,
making obscene amounts of money
from contracts half of them
could not read, much less
even begin to comprehend...
 
The Teachers eating Cup of Soup
to bring notebooks to their class,
the Cop walking a beat alone,
putting his life on the line,
a Pfc. from the Bronx
defusing a land mine;
my Heroes are Heroes
twenty-four hours at time...
Feb. 1, 2015 
 

Sunday, February 1, 2015

For Robin (Kayo?)..

Too often i still
find myself
taut, tense
in a stance,
ready again
for the next advance
upon my senses;
questioning everything,
looking under the rug
don't you realize
how smug you stand there
without knowing
your slip is showing,
how i find
so many averted eyes
at that crucial moment?...

Mine are hidden in a myriad
of flashing Emotion;
too quick, too fleeting,
too intense for some
this is a rolling, reeling Ocean;
some would sooner
walk the plank
than try to figure out
all this commotion
and it was even too 
much for the Pan...

But he died as he began
a soft whisper,
not a bang,
a slowly closing door,
just a few lines of a song he sang 
but for years the Clarion he rang...
Feb. 1, 2015