Saturday, October 31, 2009

Inner Spin

little Michael measures Halloween monsters
not having seen the movie doesn't recognize
Carrie threatening to burn him down greater
threat a cold or H1N1 if that is what it is can
I doubt it do we all believe anything anymore

now that everything worries us what do we do
to be free or happy nothing matters but would
if it actually happened to us or one of our own
fake horrors contradict real fears anticipate no
ecstasy but inner spin as if everything's all right

Friday, October 30, 2009

Past Bedtime

form emerges unknown as in promises
not broken but forgotten like distant
parents between occasions for feeling

exact correspondence looks suspicious
to the wrong eyes prying into privacy
projected on never more innocent days

just stick to it while it lasts past
bedtime try the title on your friends
can remember the old Parliamentary wit

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Finally Asking

what to tell
more questions story point am I
to add it up or is it obvious to everyone but me
beyond gay class youth still the same
is what I mean a dubious example
of something no one had expected
the meaning is in the details he said
and I accepted gnomic wise becoming
is the essence of being one
not so crazy thing after another still
here and no more changes but I
never did see what is coming far ahead
say what am I about to do this is it
which hardly answers the question
finally asking

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Two Worlds

gargle salty warm if living
well if dying what does it
matter who else will suffer
two worlds is helplessness
a cause misery any solution
despair your only hope do
something awful strangers
perish you too never more

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Unceasing Comfort

walnut stains poor carpet poor
poet declining parent what a
world wonders unceasing comfort

colds last longer in corduroy time
warmer legs make breaking habits
easy to say harder to survive

but this always challenge as for
growing up is overrated few
know better than laugh or cry

Monday, October 26, 2009

Second Stanzas

reproach not sameness patterns revolve
like galaxies afloat on antimatter timings
ponderous as molecular memory traced
as analog grooves in gelatinous medium

thoughts have second stanzas sometimes
thirds beyond what everyone anticipated
further following in altered circumstance
new dimensions renames plain repetition

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Slide Show

crabs come cooked after mollusk
dreams coincidental hard to eat
but worth it to honor the animals

who am I to criticize but I always
do who says what he really thinks
in a small town why else be here

this questioning doubtful leaving
party dancing in the street to wit
Bill's slide show made me laugh

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Less Wearing

performance survived now if I
don't get sick all will be well if
I do well brr and what mstake
there you go who knows mind

them I give small town donuts
to spoil a mismatched appetite
for pure pleasing therefore it's
worth more than less wearing

some learn some already are
ready for any jump-up whiter
wishing we'll come again why
there's a howdy if you like it

Friday, October 23, 2009

Play On

unalloyed joy germ-free play on gaily
as if there be nothing to fear it is all
imagined far away tomorrow another
day or person meanwhile I am here
you are close healthy strong ready
for anything we can think of rain or
not necessarily good never in doubt

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Soft Regret

how can music against tragic human
failing to rise gifts again oh get off it
isn't your fault even practice is willing

possible joy asserts another welcome
who living with sorrow can be happy
that's my way forgive my soft regret

then let it be known that something
more grateful responds to generous
heartfelt fiction not much but better

and swelling anger departs in minor
thirds given to conservatory training
some not all will master the clarinet

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Smart Enough

honey more than sweet nay scrumptious
knowing you'd think of something smart
enough and elevate occasioned raptures
while reason wilts and no one minds that
western culture welcomes cowboy poets

I am not one of what you might be going
along with serious young men who lose
charisma sadly fail to persevere despite
the promise of their furious intelligence
reproaches my diffident nay lax reserve

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Folded Mind

even worded thoughts intangible residing
only in the folded mind viz. remembered
dreams remain erasable until written out I
have to lie abed rehearse them not daring
more lest they be lost mysterious layer of
real experience as valuable as any action

Monday, October 19, 2009

Wise Enough

there must be something to say
that hasn't been uttered privately
in love and happiness can't resist
good will genes vigor luck strong
constitution affirmative practice

so what if it's obvious is exactly
what needs to be expressed not
just by me know nothing of other
lives and minds only one person
can imagine a little of the general

and who will listen if I speak will
you or wait to say your piece wise
enough but deaf as I am blinded
flinching brightness too much to
comfort precious breakable heart

Sunday, October 18, 2009

Lost Pioneers


type poetry don't wait who knew compute
great weight against war and poverty rise
like birdsong crying sky favor on all of us

beat back wasted year-long pauses feeling
ravages of hungry women in pants desired
work to make true art among lost pioneers

hurry the day is gone the right phrases are
used pre-owned batteries of geese squawk
unheard music dissolves the separate bed

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Eat In


weeping for Keats fills my need
after neat manipulation of 9/11
conspiracies and others time to
drive right home eat in reading
Doris Lessing surviving the 60s
like oneself recalled earlier ego
episodes learning to live with it

Friday, October 16, 2009

Strict Obedience


taking care of busyness consumed
another private interlude as if I had
all world time unlimited present a
unity unique enables processing to

be is chosen like Beethoven sonata
written down in strict obedience of
freshly made up rules out of bed
and straight to the anvil inspired

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Every Prick


vulnerable teeth okayed at silly
cost mind following every prick
of the pick om-ah-hum let work

drive swim drive shop eat donut
bit drive car cleaned inside then
it rains drive home for my lunch

seductive nap what time where
must I move wash up improve
the stew be functioning human

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Revolving Mind


the same thought again
whether the antenna is even connected
no way of knowing releasing
asleep or awake

I just had a shower at home
every single time as I head for the pool
and you
do you think the same things too

and others yet slowly
revolving mind processes forward
improvements are made
work done

Monday, October 12, 2009

Better Biting


wrongs unrightable bitter taste overwhelming sweet
denial better biting wins cooler academic overtures

so we go on because it's worth it public good poets
make up for lapses egos vital signs of signification

and peace is centered in art commitment whether
another wills connection or fakes it unconvincingly

remember friendship even if others betray mislead
ensnare sympathetic instinct as if one never learns

Sunday, October 11, 2009

Storm Windows


the drive is as long as the play
three lives and a walk a house
restored storm windows clean

reading diaries is no surprise I
remember what I wrote is what
I actually did entirely different

not that easy to excavate story
hidden in facts seldom obvious
what what happened can mean

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Even Cats


no one answer even to the same
question much less what to think
or do or say given widely varying
situations personal qualities and
even religion we might as well be
all the same but evidently we are
not even cats have their own way

Friday, October 09, 2009

Clear Glass


a stone cottage thistles washing
windows and the tractor cash in
the garage how does one sunny
day make sense when everyone
acts for made-up reasons as if
explanation were a good excuse

clear glass tightened screws let
a weeping woman look inside a
clutter seems to function which
barrow or hose earning its keep
accumulates webbing I attack in
five more years in a better mood

Wednesday, October 07, 2009

Less Admired


"To work without one thought of gain or fame"
like Cyrano but more concise and less admired
nor rhymed nor beaver to cock nor eager sword

nor bitter or unloved a character in my own play
what is the dream again the sophistry of myself
dissolved in too much world or too few enemies

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Natural State

summer seems like the natural state
permanent by now it's all a little dry
grass brown everything thirsty tired
in Santa Barbara I'd think oh no not
another beautiful sunny day must I
go outside do something enjoy it as
if mocking fear of going on breathing
get used to it and then it's over joke's
rain on me cold dark and never mind

Monday, October 05, 2009

Original Fact


writing rises early
the whole day free

dark light enough
given electric help

being original fact
without me no you

chance of weather
determines outlook

as in rich or poor
nothing to blame

Sunday, October 04, 2009

Lining Up

stupid needlessly tormenting dreams
bickering curtains that won't stay up
blunders idle matrons heedless of fire
inexorable mind its own worst enemy

escape into now chilly morning dark
conscious body reminds itself of ills
lining up to interrupt better tolerates
romance or movie's constructed story

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Singing Tone


practice makes better always more
to notice fingers do what mind can
tell what speed possible after time

no virtuoso I was sensitive singing
tone my specialité and it still is still
the notes must be there every one

not bad for an amateur I'm happy
playing serious music so beautiful
tender pure profoundest pleasure

Friday, October 02, 2009

Figured Out


the moon doesn't wait so why should
I waxing waning and it has more time
like forever close enough we animals
while imagining immortality are not
a few thousand years what's that so
I won't wait until I have it figured out