Clear Around

curiously each wants to be himself
embodying his history family time
original only when he wants to be

gladly receives approval of efforts
giving all he has wishing for more
be more completely real and true

only who he is trying to succeed
we all need help and deserve it is
there enough to go clear around

Little Better

am I still who I was
or is he gone for good
as if nothing was said
no one was listening

regrettable ignorance
and little better now
when conversation is
someone else talking

let me acknowledge
I must have learned
some shard of truth
penetrated even me

This Kiss

whether each word means as much as you think
each note in the right place essential each action
indelible whether this opinion finally convinces
this kiss expresses all the love I genuinely feel

these are the questions that make you wonder
am I the one are you can we make a difference
do the fastest talkers necessarily win the prize
have we given up on progress will we survive

Brute Ambition

how Beethoven makes his way home
as fresh today as when he was living
Vienna still there because of music

how can I care about these issues
redefined every day the same stiff
subjects gnawing at their own feet

nature art love the only true reward
hard work sense of accomplishment
closeness to your near and dear ones

time the lethal term in the argument
who will win what 47% talk about
dumb stubborn blind brute ambition

Just You

everything matters more than it seems to
be just me just you effacing for survival
even if not immediately threatened

so we say less than we would mean if we
found a way to what we really think of it
too awful to be faced and why do it

too busy to think instead seemingly full
of years we barely remember who cares
to tell what happened before the end

Awful Friends

no bacteria in the pears we
do our best we pity the poor
Lambs their awful friends
ours less trouble or present
poets of less pressing need

painting hurts my piano arm
fingers protesting the brush
my eyes the white too white
the sunlight overrewarding
as we fall toward fall rain

most chores get done not
fine weeding if our farm is
"scruffy" too no matter we
work it ourselves do other
things too what do you think

Serious Question

if you do it it's what you do
no one else doing it only you

then things happen I'm lucky
they happen to someone else

my hard choices really easy
what to wear eat see where

when is the serious question
not whether or someone else

Good Boy

everything I can think of slowly
meanwhile mop my studio floor
make a perfect dinner for three
and clean it up still a good boy

the women can talk for hours
despite oxygen limits sweating
horses need for tires bad news
everything equally interesting

Show Real

sit here eyes closed and tingle
buzzing night warm soft chair
reading Piscator world at war
the body all nerve and energy

not my way it's great anyway
we can be true vision theatre
as useful show real situation
epic transformations at work

not my chaos wash windows
pick berries play Schumann
Haydn brilliance enraptured
sensation trumps every idea

In Time

don't forget the stars still
disinterestedly pursuing
inconceivable meanings

they look slow because
we live so quickly race
to do everything in time

what moves or doesn't
is the great distinction
whether alive or not