Class Project

I can't judge kids' poems formula poems for class project fold into contest say anything something packed into words best don't center your lines looks dumb makes me squirrely whole thing I recuse myself agreeing

Talent Show

my acting career begins break through performances lowest stakes new confidence I can if I must keep weeks interesting Dead Poets talent show robed red hat laurel garland rescue remedy rely accrued presence no illusion only being myself

Potential Grace

Dante Heine Storni Carver meet read remarkable convergence crisis death minds expressing themselves poetry why conventional self-programmed who thinks himself as free then free yourself loosen frameworks routine clean toilet eleven p.m. Mendelssohn clashes ringing desiring peace fears lost civility attention knowledge arts is this my best lazy spacy bumbling works well enough no one pays nor waits only to release potential grace

Other Fights

how many foreign bases really what are we doing promise win war recover instead pick other fights institutionalize disaster good guys bearing arms betray our finest values fog words confuse mind despair of ruined world aging saps new eternity

Less Variety

some I like some dis this mystery affinity fails moral measure thanks to Lou Reed honest human craft tells what seen best less variety in drag people I knew when original first ripens bright spot leopard lion she-wolf fleers give a poet the bow

Story Time

internet research "Rite of Spring" later each culprit predicts another embrace behind bars accidentally repetitious if that's the best you can do forget it alternate excuses fumble waste time "booming" delivery impenetrable dark I know you're there even if I can't see you in tragic mode ancient poets best forgive rise above stay our promises redeem lost innocence at story time

Dolly Shots

I can't send it but I can write it time telescopes anyway reading can be anytime this is not news everybody's epigrams thick fast alleviate fixed expectation wings binoculars anticipate dolly shots so far everything is clear Dante doesn't need to rehearse contest poets hundreds to be read twice

The Same Moves

plenty else diverts barbs the same moves perfected years of practice my aim now limited mobility strength lasting pleasure adding treasure whether or not friends close to talk to about whatever we know ourselves accept each other cherish our mutual existing connectedness all the paradise I require

Storm Clouds

bright perky false cheer repels how awful everything potential fiasco terror the ravening lion piccolo cues mirth milkmaids frolic picnic soldiers plot love storm clouds in from out west no one home when he forgets his key where extra secret hid how long until he has to move

One Side

whose lips these speaking to reply imagine question Chopin newly revealed for example or a gallery show five kinds of salmon run western rivers tuna move in sync the poets lovers dance fire warms one side days like this full moon Easter equinox no drum circle spring Chinook pie blueberry family answer

Old Story

like extra gravity thick air pulling from within too talking to myself never mind another tournament as commentator critically nudge attention constructed repetition pattern problem solver punished cheerful professional Brahmsian mastery the old story ineluctable

Leftover Lamb

change defies connection motion in stillness silent introduce myself declaim Dante appropriate dress blown away mere poetry modestly observing self genially dining alone on Maundy's leftover lamb

Real Potatoes

promise of flowers redeems chilly days greengrocer's stage stock real potatoes season changes if I match its slowness will I be rewarded dreaming after death feet like paddles forbid rough questions the subject elusive but wordings exact enigmatic signifier blameless imagined youth once again finding possible lives

Great Thoughts

stability buffeted restored a gourmet dinner from our own kitchen you know who you are talking dish-washing reading Bartok Debussy Liszt Montaigne great thoughts classical unimprovable wisdom wit fancy glimpses for ourselves life lightness choice lucky reaffirmed he speaks for me

Desert Tennis

Fish v. Mayer Kuznetsova v. Makarova madly windy frigid night Saturday morning traffic Mauresmo soccer friends Roddick practicing Djokovic v. Seppi Nadal v. Giraldo Murray/Butorac v. Damm/Vizner Ferrer v. Rochus Ivanovic v. Olaru Tsonga v. Sela Moya v. Ginepri* Baghdadis v. Odesnik* Blake v. Gicquel*

Now Here

me there here then now changing circumstance unchanging essence to see who else but self a seer chosen bespoken age role clothes horse car production whence comes everything from me then there now here

Return Flight

falling eyes finished lap robe wildflowers classical opinion neither address pointed fingers unfortunately I'm not God those whose hose held water first child five weeks beyond marvel at mopping ironing bending pain is paramount evil exercising mysteries computer free to meet biggest donor before and after return flight days missed will be regained

Go Get

my back almost stopped hurting was it the adjustments massage herbs exercises ice merely time helpless slowness pain exhaust indispensable cities good stuff concentrates else good enough can be good if some want more go get contribute pay participate

Better Music

another winter mowing begins imagine some less depressing culture history beauty happen where the great philosophers read each other better music view art walk laugh converse what novel writing wish list live abroad fear empty alone thought something can arise

Shift Weight

meeting author infinitely careful and yet here and there something missing missed carefully eloquent glimpses as Montaigne on any subject steeped in classical authors take time spell out move body shift weight slow ground more imporant than thought production uncontrollable noneconomic scales clash personist art vast market

Powerful Surge

even nothing is something painting a little Debussy a Brooks Brothers jacket return type remarkably cheap wondering will I ever immediately wore it church Bach as critic I finely appreciated now can't help criticizing strings not phrasing it like singers slog through chaos no one to tell except who horse buying powerful surge

Spring Dream

intermittent absences strange week am I here myself attenuated present imagining Portuguese convento not mine writing doable anywhere I am stay home write in contrary motion whether when strong force weakens blame the weather back depression viral excuses forward spring dream

Real Art

is nothing something is something enough if what you write about is what you see, what do you write about when it's dark? (Charles Wright) is anything everything can past pass present real art is to manage to get someone to read what you write (Gombrowicz) whether or not I wonder miracles keep happening women and cats will do as they please, and men and dogs should relax and get used to the idea (Heinlein) travel without moving be everywhere at once

Wrong Soup

blinking blank mocks empty head feels empty reality is busy clutter too boring to report we're all thinking math music mind brain exercises contentless better than relentless doing deciding measuring wrong soup practice positive balance against pain drain truck traffic savagery

Perfect Law

one percent in prison barely registers vote counting obsessively one percent in prison world record how to reduce great country one percent in prison how many really bad fools unlucky wrong one percent in prison nobody all innocence breaking perfect law

Social Matter

end of day change unimaginable I can barely get up from a chair don't worry Dr. Chris soon back Hawaii always there Arizona too I'm thinking Italy drawing Henry James back to London to write walk dine absorb social matter model for another forming life

Magic Space

pit to podium taxes generosity tai chi flow interrupted change station found Jimmy cats confirms venue cheesy word sorry it's magic space design communication breakdown informal surgeon fatal paper cuts river rising lilac budding daffodils

Good Humor

tales of motorcycle stallion madness survivable extravagance Boeing work magnetism ants vaulting mandibles full throttle picturesque personality quiet husband retire to bed at nine my mid-evening pause to reiterate peculiarly shaky distracted passive prone to emotion bring it on dream raddled reading "Student Conductor" stiff back pain radiating barely able no demands but fruit good humor

Most Awful

cold rain in the face an insult personally can't live anywhere spoiled by Santa Barbara even there fog drought intolerable perfection climate grudgingly accommodates human being most awful much of the time and the manners calling us you guys I spoke to barman owner came right over can't point not grump think on it respect formalities play role we are not guys your elders chocolate w/ Grand Marnier