Saturday, October 24, 2020

 Beyond Repair


Tossing her manuscript into the air,

the poet kneels upon the ground and weeps,

expecting perfect words to flow,

to mask her white hair, grey eyes, sorrow;

acceptance that she wished for

became invisible in the sun,

the loss of face reflected in

his words, not hers, quoted throughout time. 


His words, not hers, quoted throughout time

reflected in the loss of face,

became invisible in the son’s

acceptance that she wished for,

to mask her white hair, grey eyes, sorrow;

expecting perfect words to flow,

the poet kneels upon the ground and weeps,

tossing her manuscript into the air.


© October 2020


The Written Word

For William, Billy, and Jericho whose words transported me


a red wheelbarrow full of sweet, cold plums


Where to begin to weave a tale with scenery and characters,

a noble city herein, an everlasting love with passion there

among the ruins of wars fought by men who fail to contemplate

a truce, a blending of the branches, two families with power and monies,

bold and criminal. A pattern repeated throughout the centuries, 

a collection of the thoughts, words, and deeds of heroes, set forth with

an addictive tune, to infiltrate, to permeate, to sway the people to a side.


tied to a chair with rope, the poetry exists


Daily massacres replace a lasting peace far down the road, a boy or girl

question who regains control and who designs the battlements and

why we follow fools who wear pajamas. Should we not reclaim our sanity,

rise-up and ask forgiveness of our mother earth before the planet crumbles, 

cracks open by the increasing greediness, those that only care about 

themselves (secretly saying no one else deserve to live). How lonely they’ll be 

when the rest of us are dead and buried.


a burgundy car sits amid bullet points in the worst winter


© October 2020



Friday, October 9, 2020

Today's Readings

 Again today, I was able to read my words for others and it was wonderful.


Ambleside Fog

after photograph by Jason Cyr 11/02


Under eerie darkened skies

she creeps

spinning her web of sweet deception


alone; she sees 


the dawn of each new day’s reward.

The blades of grass left short by diminished daylight,


left undisturbed by all but 

fairy wings that flutter through as

whimsical lyrics, visible to only artists, paramours, and thieves.


Her arias sweep away their misty past acquaintances,

and eye the stormy air ahead. She waits (as cats lives everlasting)


to dream and feel refreshed as warmth returns 

her to her fabled resting place.


Among the clouds, she drifts for yet another chance

to live, to venture forth, to know her own existence.


© 2002 & March 2020



Beneath the Porch Light, Marlene


Leaning against the front porch post,

dragging on a cigarette like Marlene,

you ignore the cancer eating away 

at your lungs, but I cannot. I want to 

slap you, shake you, yell at you to stop, 

but you have not. In denial, your bad habits

run your life, ruin my memories of

my favourite uncle, who introduced me to

Caesar salad and diesel cars before 

they were cool. Who you lived with, 

what you were did not matter to me, 

I loved you just the same. Three years ago,

I left a note at your final resting place, 

shaded by stands of birch and aspen.

A chickadee choir sang matins.


© September 2020



Immorality

From ‘Still I Rise’ by Maya Angelou 


The simple truth is I want the easy way out. You 

say there is no easy way to anywhere, but may

I disagree.  I feel compelled to write

the truth upon this page; don’t expect me 

to be kind. So glad I live so far from hell, down-

town east side in the city of Vancouver, in 

the country I will always call my home. History

will show I tried to milk my station fully, with 

the best of my abilities to shape the world, your 

world, without the lies -- crass and bitter --

to injure those less fortunate than me, those twisted 

by the privileged few who hold the monies and spew the lies.


The simple truth is I am afraid to die. You 

say we all die, every person on this planet, but may 

I clarify. Whereupon this rocky road we bravely trod 

with thoughtfulness besides, yes you and me, 

and while we play within the rules in 

everything that carries weight, the 

pressure to be the top, the very 

top, to leave the world better than just dirt

under the shoes of the underprivileged. But 

in the far-forgotten centuries beyond, I hope we still

become space explorers like 

we once were and transform us past star’s dust

remembering who we loved last and I'll 

expect on some remote earth, its moon will even rise.


© August 2020




For shame. I've forgotten to post.

Just realized I haven't posted since last May. I'll try to be better in future. Dust to Dust Someone let a fly inside the house inst...