Most Things

some things just work out perfectly
like a movie most things might say

that's why movies are things based
on things something is a real thing

we assume not thinking otherwise
if we knew how we probably would

and often may do contrary motion
ostensibly harmless way stay awake

After Yogurt

a week away and the crabcrass likes
not being watered takes two to dig
and pull declare victory before it's too
late summer browns grass hopeless

corrections keep coming when do I
say good enough nothing flawless
let the presses roll now everything is
easy to change never a final version

is that the Oregon effect no I always
was a romantic realist try for perfect
learn not to miss my sleep or meals
hot shower every morning after yogurt

Racing Stream

look up the sky striped in lurid peach
the cuddled cat doesn't care but I do
look out over mountain ranges paling
in the haze drink the high-altitude air
think as clear as the racing stream icy
cold warm sun flashing on rocks below

it's nothing personal until you make it
matter doing its energetic best shining
if you eye it right livelihood right action
if you choose if lucky if not do it anyway
I am not who you think I am look up the
stripes yield to the waning moon me too

Too Swift

if I could draw it wouldn't be a mountain
what is not mentioned I decided long ago
it might explode hardly as permanent as
it seems some do when their time is up

nothing will change unless you forget to
pay attention a lesson not to fool around
the space remains moving through space
too swift for mortal cognizance to catch

Never Dead

where do plays fit anywhere who cares
about anything anymore except what I
did newspapers which are over now an
old idea are all media transitional after
and before the theatre is always dying

but never dead the people who don't
come are missing out it's fun for me
a trip for all actors get off being on
the stage is everything we like we still
need you audience to receive our gifts

Other Roots

welcome to the family is how you take it
embrace acceptance as an actual person
qualified to be one of us when I doubted
found when I had lost myself or a zoo-like
public showing of freakish possible forms
defined by cages marveling at each other
when not seriously annoyed I was touched

embrace the concept but reality is I have
my own children brought from elsewhere
our own history not same deep other roots
less in your face maybe that's why I didn't
cry when I would if the groom were mine
marrying yet another family linking world

Perfect Timing

this is the day we tend toward the purpose
of having come so far so fast all directions
home true reckoning with appropriate food

our former neighbor house still striving no
gain or nostalgia how we stood it in fact we
had fun making the most of our middle age

or walking around downtown where every
block turns on perfect timing generations
realize potential tides carry away all boats

wait for the bus in Spanish wondering about
my pants bleeding leaking swiftly betrayed
certainty of body walking waking up in time

and watch real reason walking funny acting
history wigged well enough carry the show
forward into marriage and total satisfaction

Still Alive

we know each other surprised
we are still alive years later

the landscape has matured in
subdivisions freeway on-ramps

cracking the beach erodes and
all is lost romantic memory

worth reuning once in a while
watch young make their way

expert waiter different drinks
as if enjoying new possibilities

More Interesting

we are moving fast doing lots
while in a relatively stable calm
which is it fast slow or nothing
to insist on saying if they're not
interested if they don't realize
I am more interesting than they
already know about themselves
no call for any of us to show off

Another Place

outside in Davis the evening cools
after serious heat on the straight
highway after the Siskyous I could
live in Dunsmuir for the vibe if I
had another life or here for now
tiny tidy cottages beside bikeway
along arboretum park full of kids
and grownups jammed together
as if Central Park in the middle
of nowhere not everywhere is
somewhere in a way I can like
but these are and many more
does everyone keep imagining
new changes in another place
my father priced real estate I
like the vague might-have-been
anything is possible even now

Coming Back

until we go we are here in practice
if not thought the subtle body goes
ahead and when we are gone we are
still here after all we are coming back

eventually everyone shows up with
varied results piano student fooling
around problem actor brilliantly right
exactly what I wanted for the part

my conscience easy challenges hard
choices made will answer every need

Antique Tools

book done letters writ pack later
both guys stood me up tomorrow
last day here goes well planned
stop thinking no point what will
be done will do what none before
have seen brightly possible play

come fate whether I will I will to
call or send a messenger if here
will answer what I need to know
then later never old-fashioned
small dull never old life was fun
satisfying work earned reward

that too is true and the other two
too much for a dollar and a half
if he remembered are we there
a workshop full of antique tools
make something for me make a
time machine or gravity eraser

Every Kiss

I've done everything I'm going to do
by now save surgeries life support
etc. not just old only more so now
this is repetition what keeps it fresh
makes every moment special every
conversation dinner orgasm kiss prana
doesn't lie never falls down on the job
constantly arises original momentum
endlessly expanding to fill the infinite

Quaking Plain

"We do not succeed in changing things according to our desires, but gradually our desires change." —Proust

now I don't dream
or if I do a dream
is natural my sleep
restful threatening
only entertainment

when I do dream
it is as if brighter
vivider real doing
bleaches this life
every color fugitive

thrills my branch
apples of memory
fall bruised upon
rocks of morning
await with worms

the cycle turning
I anticipate more
willingly awake in
happy trepidation
on quaking plain

Ask Me

connect if could score template
proceed to books at least try
learning shortcuts go faster
in my short-wheelbase speedster
forget discipline it's what I want
do you know what I mean do I
say so if you mean it network
down if you bother to ask me

Keep On

how much do you need to know
to make the right decision every
time does anyone I don't think so

then how do things go on they
work fairly well considering how
complicated they have become

you need a system and patient
workers to make small changes
fix what's broken and keep on

Steps

Brandenburg 2 most beautiful music
best performance heavenly oboe alto
clarinet for trumpet what would Bach

Bob Potter good example of a good
man gone true confrère wrote plays
like me loved enough to take steps

may his work live on benefit peace
restore sanity brothers in arms to
resist destruction of us or others

new Italian movie "Io sono l'amo"
took me out of everything moved
and bought new cast-iron griddle

Sweet Moment

can't I slow down why this
steady allegro not a beat
without incident but I like
what I'm doing all matters

where's that space inside
dark the size of universes
bright stars shining on us
but from very far away

emptiness remember I'm
not working in an office
no boss even self defeat
no option wrong lingo

this is not a novel or a
symphony forget sonata
form days not programmed
verses what I make them

in conclusion I raise baton
bows poise sweet moment
the music that had paused
resumes and couples dance

It Jumps

my name doesn't describe me
oh it'll do for signing checks I
guess I thought of Bluebird or
Motter might that be better is
family or fancy simply change
it lies on the page who knows
the problem is the Smith look
it jumps defiantly plainspoken
Michael special in my younger
years now generic take me as
I match the words I write out
as an ordinary name cannot

Sudden Change

is that what really happened
or am I making it up are you

tales of tender possibility a
sudden change of weather or

something else entirely that
glitters more than it shows

Too Depressing

what's the matter with Obama
not only not good he's actively
bad not only not making things
better he's making them worse
hardly the change we wanted
no wonder I tune out political
news it's just too depressing

Still Wondering

life is the answer the tree
glittering through the blind
still wondering what I see

what you do that is what
the story turns out to be
in the end if there is one

Solid Objects

someday my merits will be recognized
or not who cares if I don't no one will
blame how humans have developed a
way of responding that feeds back and
makes things worse not better after all

will can save the individual just decide
but it's too late for humanity as a whole
I fear we're in for catastrophic collapse
then something else everything lost
except a few very large solid objects

Easy Way

I like it hot but not
the lethargy black
railing untouchable
stairway pain call
surgeon time come

though tai chi fine
walks once begun
ping-pong lunges
cost well worth it
serious this is not

strip fan take easy
way out while can
dance in private if
anyone cares I do
better accepting

Cute Name

no viagra thanks anyway what I need
help with is hay fever isn't that a cute
name for annoying pollen effects this
time every year I sneeze and the rest
wake up at five too stuffy to lie down
no early project going now the funny
touching play dreamed only a dream
got away before I could write it down

Trash Noise

another puzzle matches the flowering moment
keep score while you still can do more driving
smooth running pleases most careful growers

place is closer than time to tell stories regret
piano lessons less than perfect Debussy still
better than none or trash noise or whatever

she's too weird my taste never went that far
I tried to like it even if I didn't ultimately told
the truth about being freaked or bored silly

No Fuss

space station passing climaxes fireworks
frighten dogs horse runs around sweats
Italians know how to celebrate have fun
I'm like part of the family warm no fuss
cage fighting then the gentlemen's final
each one has a different idea all accept

fathers love their children just being is
enough the other dimension is here or
there we go visit mountains orchards
touristing cross the Bridge of the Gods
cross back see salmon swim upstream
say strawberry shortcake in Japanese

Skip Dinner

pretending to walk we pulled vines off trees
till our hands stung exhilarating adventures
everywhere went driving with the top down

come and go climb swing pick ping elucidate
watch happy afterwards I have to take a nap
skip dinner the pendulum vertical when still

At the Edge

They were looking gloomy, for good reason, although if you ask me it only makes it worse to get depressed when things are going badly.
—Robert Bolaño

no ice on the drive it's July
triple digits in Tucson not
hot here but summertime

poems pour out even sans
poets to talk to trips crazy
young adventures no fun

or other joys continued
Chopin this week novel
people and possibilities

without feathers covers
disappoint their content
lapping richly at the edge