No Regret

not a day without a word a sigh
a memory not as sweet as this

no regret but time in its passing
giving and taking away youth

no one knows better than you
what most matters in your heart

no authority but feeling needed
loved the way you really are

Seriously Funny

considering what might be said
the various words referential
reifying trivia is less troubling

for instance panic with no out
or treating people like animals
animals like insensible food

the poets read seriously funny
dozens attend their exquisite
whimsy coolest way to see it

More Satisfying

complications make it more satisfying
when you finally get to that big F major
nothing like Brahms for complications

As Usual

I can't vote for drone strikes
I don't want to think about it
I'll cast my vote against war
business as usual plutocracy
although I do fairly well for
a peace and justice candidate

they say they are different
but agree on the billions for
banks weaponry surveillance
war fairness for corporations
revolving doors central money
count my vote against all that

I won't vote for war on drugs
corporate media spinning glib
liberal articulateness covering
known cooperation with power
light shines on beauty as well
as truth chooses what will be

Hollow Cheer

New York is over funny how
everything else follows a long
reversing curve New York first

no one cares about spelling
grammar literary form rich
famous only measure laughs

hollow cheer as if bright light
is a right as if no dark night
as if all this will last forever

Silk Shirt

work grabs me I like that
feeling deal with it don't
blow it off play solitaire

I missed the fourth set of
Federer-Berdych too bad
but my email was full up

then it's over and I didn't
do my ironing instead I'm
writing this in a silk shirt

Good Stuff

if I could sing I would express different feelings
feel different emotions pour out my open heart
if I could paint I would show what is beautiful
instead I stumble through Beethoven marveling

the politicians never mention art the only thing
I care about the only thing that matters in the end
as if a culture measured in celebrity and money
is enough good stuff prized by a powerless elite

it's there incredibly excellent but nobody cares
the news is always something more practical
killing starvation disasters disease who knows
what we might be missing timeless revelation

Learning Curves

change partners holiday over back
to normal parameters easy effort
drives continuous learning curves

training tunes reflexes improves
hoped-for accuracy of aim and
nuance proving curly formulae

for fun we sit and read together
quietly happy know it can't last
smile eyes open hearts enlarged

Sound World

explicit licking opened a sound world
touching my hair with its dirty wings
sensation combined with static thought

such were the children in camouflage
learning to be men defined by killing
animals for food for family following

night comes earlier the chickens roost
before I finish dinner we quietly read
and write while the whirlwind blows

Always More

if you say everything nothing will be left
and it's too sad but if you don't you lie or
are copping out so you say what you can
it will have to do but don't imagine it is
adequate to the situation even personally
there is always more until there is none
see what I mean every word I can utter
goes down gently without feeling worse