Friends Afar

how can I go without going
away enjoy the world engage
its infinite fascinating people
historical riches beautiful art
and also be here now with all
my mental powers body heart
thus read books watch films
correspond with friends afar

Lowering Clouds

we picnic under the oak savannah
noble widely spaced golf frisbees
rising into the leaves flutter down
spacious meadows under lowering
clouds release rain as we withdraw

Perfect Friends

an address is not enough
you have to name the city
and the country how will
you know if you are there
you can assume too much

this is my street my block
obvious enough if you are
me at this time in my life
no one can be in the same
location at a different time

too much information is a
trap door opening a void
gaps fond memories stick
each place you came often
looking for perfect friends

Weird Style

weird style attracts attention
who wants to be understood
learns to speak calmly as if
anyone knew what is meant

so pretend to be following
convention protecting cover
agree everything is simpler
than you truly know it to be

Blue Water

spontaneity arises spontaneously
connects impulse and opportunity
canceling time for thought remorse
forgotten memory revised as prose
heat sunk into sparkling blue water

No Cure

time gone leaves broken records
no digital shadow falls between
act opinion or intention outcome

we do not know better only this is
wrong and should be better done
our part in it ambiguous obscure

feeling bad about it doesn't help
there is no cure for passing time
only forgiving others and oneself

What's Wrong

I don't quite like this book
or anything always finding
fault ponder what's wrong
refined analysis of failings

this applies to myself too
well misjudge my efforts
better appreciate it as it is
even not rising to genius

no one as good as I hope
except certain musicians
perfect beyond necessity
because they can they do

Feedback

everything is out of control
just when sense is needed
crises erupting everywhere
too complex to understand
accumulated bad decisions
feedback greed rewarded
values warped for profit
tragic losses compounding
nothing we can do to help
short of suicidal sacrifices
we are disinclined to make

Living Theatre

on the table a small elephant
cast metal handsome his father's
a dagger a kaleidoscope the vial
from which poison was poured
into Hamlet's sleeping father's ear
is this precious or just natural living
theatre of objects expressing himself

In Short

from my perspective nothing is real
except my own living same for you

how then interested in anything else
except by form style relevance to me

we are the same awareness overlaps
thereby the world continues to exist

Surgical Reprieve

you have decided to be upbeat no matter what
and you are no matter who shows up what you
say emanates from an untouchable core which
makes everyone else irrelevant no one allowed
to bring you down or do I mean me something
about what I feel this sudden empty blankness
despite surgical reprieve a perfect summer day
converted into words seems entirely unneeded

These Few

who you really are if anyone does matter
if you take anything seriously including
your own foolishness and good repute
some people have a mission others not
so much doesn't mean they don't count

I'm sure there is more to say about history
among friends in the larger musical world
that these few are critical to keep it going
sustain the gains of the painful centuries
devote lives to pursuit of sublime beauty

Existing Forms

nothing is imagined all collage pastiche
recombination of existing forms words
themselves are found dusted off reused

sometimes I succeed some assemblage
makes me laugh outs a subtle feeling
truth emerging from unsuspected links

but it's all the same old stuff memories
lost found work of other writers stories
I've heard retold to a different purpose

Having Been

did I miss a whole day vanished
as they all do nothing registers

words are marks of having been
where you are not how you did it

This World

hard head bony shoulder
no comfort in this world

Crazy Ideas

how can the moment be the measure
subject to gross distortion crazy ideas
no most of the time you are quite sane
in your own way adequately balanced

night madness comes upon you and
you lose it entirely possessed stupid
convinced your derangement is real
permanent scarring eventually sleep

in the morning everything is normal
you sleep in it's nearly nine when you
get up revise your plan follow through
the day is normal everything as it is

Home Again

talking is the real game
win or lose it'll be over
you can be home again
before the score known

Close Enough

something quieter than music
disinforms reversals spelling
less than full more than any
if you listened close enough

be specific if you can reveal
the subject ensuing actions
further confuse drug wisdom
with promisingly lucid views

is it ironic or merely obscure
that you still don't know how
one thing leads to another or
who is the savior you await

This Me

did I do it today or not
one melts into another
the earlier forgotten
as if not actually lived

still I was really there
a self as much as ever
dreaming of old times
that never quite exist

at least not for this me
who does what he can
to make the time count
and now in fact he did

Elevating Thoughts

I didn't tell you about yesterday
the gym the quick trip into the city
the long conversation with Julian
Ajahn Sumedho floating my tai chi
on the familiar elevating thoughts
chuckling at his own youthful follly
where am I what should I do now

Extra Energy

coffee butter chocolate gasoline
rule our days like rampant drugs
unkickable because we love them
building pleasure on shifting sand
we crave reliable sources of fun
extra energy to get our stuff done

High Plateau

what am I not saying
to myself especially
sensing a transition
from what to what

each piece in place
next action follows
satisfyingly precise
promises nothing

no real complaints
requiring remission
from a high plateau
the vistas are wide

On the Farm

three to five minutes longer than
any memory or inspirational craft
something happening I don't know
sweetness remerging from the land
and us patiently trying to live well

raising food keeping house basic
model comfort can that be enough
so much time and space our own
every duty paid retire in luxury do
every pleasing thing we can imagine

fringe prosperity disguised as what
we have become after other lives
this the real this mobilized desire
stay healthy strong do what we can
independent twosome on the farm

Another Self

I am here you pass by
or the other way around

we may meet again
and not even know it

why should you notice
to me it can be nothing

I am old you are young
this equation irreversible

you are not who I was
another self passing by

Bouncing Back

simultaneously taste and play cards
different brains engage particles of
pleasure and regret rising seas don't
preclude senior pinochle party time
whether or not I was invited along

amazing that they can go on moving
despite the heat and wear lay eggs
gain weight follows not surprising
anymore attention bouncing back
before the revolution even begun

Imaginary Time

before the word what dawn
rises within globe of mind
swelling to take in all the
universes that might exist

this is not every day same
roll similar actions ritual
timing later is only older
energies burn from within

what is burning a question
whether man is self-created
expires or continuously is
opening further to the light

begs to differ from creation
myth itself a thing of word
spoken becomes actuality
defined in imaginary time

Plum Jam

instead I made plum jam
the tree so densely fruited
the basket filled up quickly

pitting was not too hard
boiling them with sugar
I read and let them burn

still I got three good jars
and a little more precious
treat for the winter ahead