pausing before a house
a patrol car happens by
watching me
case the spinach
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
wind today
jerking the tethered wires
the orange plastic ribbon caught on the fence
waves like a hand
and beyond, rising and falling
great lungs of the eucalyptus
the orange plastic ribbon caught on the fence
waves like a hand
and beyond, rising and falling
great lungs of the eucalyptus
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Weather reports
forks of lightning, withdrawn
darts of rain
a huge glory over the water
light shining out of a sun-cave
*
clouds with their bottoms intact, firm, dark
stepping stones to the mountain
where they fray with rain
*
grey day
the sun sets in a gold commotion in the west
darts of rain
a huge glory over the water
light shining out of a sun-cave
*
clouds with their bottoms intact, firm, dark
stepping stones to the mountain
where they fray with rain
*
grey day
the sun sets in a gold commotion in the west
Thursday, May 28, 2009
adjustment
she tried for years
to straighten him out
nowadays she contents herself
ironing creases into his jeans
to straighten him out
nowadays she contents herself
ironing creases into his jeans
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
delayed
oh boy
said the old man who had just stubbed his toe on a tree root
this is really going to hurt
said the old man who had just stubbed his toe on a tree root
this is really going to hurt
Sunday, May 24, 2009
90 degree turn
she stands outside the door
pulling on a cigarette
with that left-behind look--
society has moved on
pulling on a cigarette
with that left-behind look--
society has moved on
Saturday, May 23, 2009
news from the other world, visited nightly
what a night
kitten in the water
the wallet, the blood test, the game abandoned in the middle
an avatar of the children—
from those parts of them that lie unused--
and in the morning, like handles
the words
kitten in the water
the wallet, the blood test, the game abandoned in the middle
an avatar of the children—
from those parts of them that lie unused--
and in the morning, like handles
the words
Friday, May 22, 2009
Thursday, May 21, 2009
view from the hotel
swaying towards us
headlights in air
our windows part the stream
hoards of metal
arriving birds
reach for the ground with rubber claws
headlights in air
our windows part the stream
hoards of metal
arriving birds
reach for the ground with rubber claws
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
walking toward the darkness
at 75 she asked herself
while looking at her breasts
aren't you tired of having these?
*
cataract surgery? no thanks
my eyes fading to the details
as they should
*
after the old man died
his wife still gardened for years
"I'll just mess around a little longer
then I'm coming too"
while looking at her breasts
aren't you tired of having these?
*
cataract surgery? no thanks
my eyes fading to the details
as they should
*
after the old man died
his wife still gardened for years
"I'll just mess around a little longer
then I'm coming too"
Monday, May 11, 2009
inner smiles all day because of what a dream whispered
the beloved departed---
sometimes they’re still available to us in our dreams
for long rides down the interstate, for instance
in a bakery truck...
*
tired of her illness
she stepped into the glass-walled garden
plucked a leaf, and ate the healing herb
*
the children chorused
they wanted me to be their teacher, but
a big man sat down beside me
and muscled me out of my dream
sometimes they’re still available to us in our dreams
for long rides down the interstate, for instance
in a bakery truck...
*
tired of her illness
she stepped into the glass-walled garden
plucked a leaf, and ate the healing herb
*
the children chorused
they wanted me to be their teacher, but
a big man sat down beside me
and muscled me out of my dream
Sunday, May 10, 2009
testimony
the hesitant child gained fluency
by not correcting herself
(even the awkward are able to achieve
a level of competence over time)
by not correcting herself
(even the awkward are able to achieve
a level of competence over time)
Saturday, May 9, 2009
after the break
Once the devil goes home
and God withdraws His face into the clouds
and you are left with yourself, alone,
whom do you trust?
Not yourself.
Hug tight the bottle, pills rattling as you walk
and God withdraws His face into the clouds
and you are left with yourself, alone,
whom do you trust?
Not yourself.
Hug tight the bottle, pills rattling as you walk
morning city
A fast morning walk
adds swing to the day
The people are mostly in their houses,
(their cars, their businesses, their schools)
Out here it’s just me and the birds
a few stray gardeners
or old walkers
we greet like friends
adds swing to the day
The people are mostly in their houses,
(their cars, their businesses, their schools)
Out here it’s just me and the birds
a few stray gardeners
or old walkers
we greet like friends
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
rainy
I imagine the rain eating
clattering utensils against the eaves
forking at the slopes above roads
scaping off with a butterknife
a thin film from naked mountain tops
a few more pebbles spooned away
from the mountain's slow life
clattering utensils against the eaves
forking at the slopes above roads
scaping off with a butterknife
a thin film from naked mountain tops
a few more pebbles spooned away
from the mountain's slow life
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
war room--no damage
For birds it is a hands-off world
Whatever they’ve been discussing
with shrieks and cries, ramage
in the roomy juniper at the edge of the parking lot
the world will come to no harm from it
(birds use their hands to fly)
(in the hands-on air)
Whatever they’ve been discussing
with shrieks and cries, ramage
in the roomy juniper at the edge of the parking lot
the world will come to no harm from it
(birds use their hands to fly)
(in the hands-on air)
Monday, February 16, 2009
glimpsed on the way to somewhere important
the quail, jangling its little bell
runs into the manzanita bushes
rolled up like mossy boulders
against the leggy pines
runs into the manzanita bushes
rolled up like mossy boulders
against the leggy pines
Sunday, February 15, 2009
by the stream
scrub jays arriving on startling blue wings
answer each other's questions with questions
answer each other's questions with questions
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Monday, February 9, 2009
alternate view
I see a small dark Jesus
slightly myopic
the load of love bending
his forehead down
shaggy beard, long black coat
briefcase, roomy, to accommodate
everything he owns
hurrying up to people in the bleachers
bending close,
whispering, "Remember--
the children--
they still know the way!"
when he leaves, much sighing before
the murmuring begins, "Yes, but
what He really meant
must have been
entirely something else..."
slightly myopic
the load of love bending
his forehead down
shaggy beard, long black coat
briefcase, roomy, to accommodate
everything he owns
hurrying up to people in the bleachers
bending close,
whispering, "Remember--
the children--
they still know the way!"
when he leaves, much sighing before
the murmuring begins, "Yes, but
what He really meant
must have been
entirely something else..."
Monday, January 26, 2009
he sang a dream song, not with his mouth only
today the Spanish kids are playing
with the Korean children’s puppies
pedestrians on the sidewalk smile and greet
as after an earthquake
“I cried, brother, I cried
that such a thing can happen in my lifetime”
with the Korean children’s puppies
pedestrians on the sidewalk smile and greet
as after an earthquake
“I cried, brother, I cried
that such a thing can happen in my lifetime”
Saturday, January 24, 2009
more rain
what an anger the river
has gathered into itself
and now rushes to the sea--
the grinding of banks
gnashing of boulders
and in troubled recesses
silent accumulations of gold
has gathered into itself
and now rushes to the sea--
the grinding of banks
gnashing of boulders
and in troubled recesses
silent accumulations of gold
Friday, January 23, 2009
light side
earthshine you're standing in
earthshine you are
when the sun comes bounding in
to warm you
at once poetic, scientific
and mathematical
it reflects off our foreheads
at predictable angles
earthshine you are
when the sun comes bounding in
to warm you
at once poetic, scientific
and mathematical
it reflects off our foreheads
at predictable angles
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
state rock
serpentinite
time-cracked
spilling out of hillsides
having been accustomed
to supporting water
by the oceanweight
time-cracked
spilling out of hillsides
having been accustomed
to supporting water
by the oceanweight
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Monday, January 19, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
preparing dinner in a glass pot
through transparent crustal plates
we can see the inner workings of the planet
roiling rock, blue darting flames
plutons rising and descending like parachutes
we can see the inner workings of the planet
roiling rock, blue darting flames
plutons rising and descending like parachutes
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Saturday, January 3, 2009
praying
we came to praise
so our voices, herded together
could plead your reality down
to walk here among us
in justice and wisdom
we're somehow not able
to conjure up for ourselves
all the sadness banished
the yearning quenched
your light to wander among us
in sudden new landscapes
of joy and acceptance
and unending wonders
that our eyes, cured of darkness
would now be able to see
so our voices, herded together
could plead your reality down
to walk here among us
in justice and wisdom
we're somehow not able
to conjure up for ourselves
all the sadness banished
the yearning quenched
your light to wander among us
in sudden new landscapes
of joy and acceptance
and unending wonders
that our eyes, cured of darkness
would now be able to see
(for the children)
very soon
probably today
someone will want you to be
smarter, quicker, straighter, taller
hairier, prettier, stickier, smaller
stumpier, less willowy
bony-er, less pillowy
smilier, curlier, burlier, meaner
pricklier, sillier, lighter, cleaner
(did I forget anything?)
well, do what you must
but what the world really needs
is for you to be more...more...
what was your name again?
yes. you. more you.
probably today
someone will want you to be
smarter, quicker, straighter, taller
hairier, prettier, stickier, smaller
stumpier, less willowy
bony-er, less pillowy
smilier, curlier, burlier, meaner
pricklier, sillier, lighter, cleaner
(did I forget anything?)
well, do what you must
but what the world really needs
is for you to be more...more...
what was your name again?
yes. you. more you.
Saturday, December 20, 2008
the christening (sunning?)
the sun from far
shines on this child
warm approval
from center space
approving of everything
its golden light can reach
in all directions
shining on and on
shines on this child
warm approval
from center space
approving of everything
its golden light can reach
in all directions
shining on and on
what I noticed in the garden
brown, unpretentious
dirt just laying there to be stepped on
(or built on, or covered over with asphalt)
has magically lifted itself into green heights
of cantaloupe, collard, catalpa, corn
(without taking noticeable decrease)
dirt just laying there to be stepped on
(or built on, or covered over with asphalt)
has magically lifted itself into green heights
of cantaloupe, collard, catalpa, corn
(without taking noticeable decrease)
Saturday, November 29, 2008
red epaulettes
a cloud of red-winged blackbirds tipped
onto new planted trees and fresh-laid sod
loads up the telephone wires, fills in the cyclone fences
drive through the fumes of music
onto new planted trees and fresh-laid sod
loads up the telephone wires, fills in the cyclone fences
drive through the fumes of music
Friday, October 3, 2008
Marineworld butterfly exhibit
we walked through the tent
the child held out her hand
she cried she wanted the butterflies to love her
but they settled in the hair of other girls
the child held out her hand
she cried she wanted the butterflies to love her
but they settled in the hair of other girls
not violence, violets
so I asked for a little life
buttercups, forget-me-nots
yellow primroses, button mushrooms
and they want murals from me!
strong colors, reds and blacks
buttercups, forget-me-nots
yellow primroses, button mushrooms
and they want murals from me!
strong colors, reds and blacks
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)