February 26, 2016

Bird is the word

As the Trashmen collect my thoughts 
The scavengers dine on what's left of reason. 
Some pinpoint of light, of thought, projects what's 
migrating from a single name through all seasons.
Ibises on a pot shard broken with Egrets 
Flock beyond number from a single egg.
Hans Christian Andersen's emperor frets
that the gem-crusted effigy begs
the truth and beauty from nature.
While Mr Klee laughs a constellation:
a twittering machine of info raptors
that sweep across the internet nation
To keep the students of Yeats from napping
While the Gyres gimble in the wabe's soul trapping.

12-24-2015 Miniature Nativity Scenes

Background: i was born in 1959 in July. Near the day i was born is the date of the so called Kitchen Debates between Nixon and Khrushchev. 1959. A time between complacency and revolution, between capitalism and communism. At the beginning of the space race, Christ still standing by to launch in peaceful stillness.
From this time-forge i came into the world. Here are two poems about my experience: (Not Sonnets, but, oh well.):

My Kitchen Debate (First published in Alive Now June/August 2006)
Agape.
I remember
No recipe.
Mass produced
and still 
My first experience of Christ
May have come 
On a plate
After Kindergarten
In the Kitchen:
Tomato Soup
Celery,
Peanut Butter and Jelly,
Wonder,
and Bread.
 "Tell me the story again, Mom."

Too Beautiful to be an accident
In my childhood kitchen we had on one wall 
A refrigerator (on the left)
A freezer (on the right)
In between was the space where
our portable dishwasher
spent most of its time.
On the opposite wall was the sink
where we connected the dishwasher
to run the dishes.
And when the dishwasher hummed,
I would sometimes sit in the space
between fridge and freezer, 
and feel the appliance warmth
and dream.
One day when i was maybe 10
I sat tween freezer and fridge
(amid the soft washing hum)
i spied a pattern of dots 
on the side of the freezer that
appeared as the likeness 
of a bust of the Virgin Mary
looking down at me: 
a mystery
my first real, true mystery.
How did it get there and who made it?
and the voice came to me
"However it came to be,
It's just too beautiful
to be an accident."

10-19-2015

"I've never been on the Robert Frost Trail, but we can go there if you like."

That's the next thing that Daniel heard Wu say to
Him and it felt as if a year had passed. 
Eternity in a moment is what he felt and Wu
Brought him back with a seeming non-sequitur. Aghast
Only in the pure disconnect between Kairos and Kronos,
Now Daniel continued his cold war discourse as if
Every internal moment was a nose
Breadth from the fall of the Berlin Wall. "Stiff
Reality gives way to understanding? 
Is that what you mean?"  Wu responded without diffidence:
"Don't overthink it. I only mean that Gorbachev is not demanding:
'Go on the less trodden path and that makes the difference' 
Every high school year book is riddled with that dense,
Basic interpretation. The difference is the journey's certainty and its comrade in arms: chance. 
Yarrott Benz can teach us a thing or two about when vision and art together can sing."

10-4-2015

"How many time codes do you think Daniel has broken?"
Asked McPherson while Jack was looking at his crepe.
"Plenty. Not that it matters now," Jack returned as if he needed to be woken.
"Pancakes are continuums!" Jack let escape.
"Yes, that is it!" Jack came to life. "McP! You can't lie flat if your
Being bends back on itself!" McP. put his hand to Jack's forehead
"I believe your fever is getting worse, Jack!" "Nevermind that!" Jack said bolting for the door
"Returning to the scene of the crime as if it were aborted.
There is no reason to chase Daniel. There is no crime.
He does not play by our rules but he does not intentionally break them!
Do you know Yoga? I think there is a pose called Bridge! Daniel can do it to spacetime.
And you, wonderful McP, Have helped me understand. Contino Diem!
You brilliant babbler, you! I feel like Selena
Gomez at a Barney audition! How's that for a time patina?"

8-3-2015

Who says it makes all the difference. 
"Well, McPherson, I think I've witnessed it all now." Jack said. 
"How's that then?" his companion returned looking up from his repast. 
"Ever read a sonnet from Pluto to the head 
 Naysayer of the planetary purist league?" Jack cast 
Glibly and nonchalantly and continued, "scrawled in the wall 
Over a restaurant urinal?" "Can't say that I have, Jack. 
Don't think I want to, for that matter. Which stall 
So I can avert my eyes?" McP shot back. 
"Pass the ketchup, please." Jack moved on as he sat to continue 
Eating the meal the waitress had brought. 
After a slight pause he said, "You know when man speaks 'flower' 
Kindly, even with the most love, a stick figure with a circle caught-- 
Surrounded by ovals appears in another man's head. But when God says it, as authority's sower 
Flora covers the face of the earth and on day three of creation, God 
Lowers: boom. Floral fireworks with colorful resonance. Later, Man will behold them with trembling penitence."

7-14-2015 Bastille day on Pluto

Poem from Pluto in the bathroom stall at the end of the galaxy

Jack dismissed himself to McP, "Have to visit the little planets' room."
He sauntered back to the area where the restroom sign pointed;
Flipped on the light and relieved the space of its gloom;
And as he the urinal discreetly anointed,
his eyes fell on these words scratched onto the wall:
"I'm surprised to see you here," he said with arch in his brow.
You and that relic of New Horizon, like a machine by Mr. Klee et al.
But what discovery, Neal, do you want from me now?
Your planetary council gave me the vote of confidence
I hate to break form here but you did know that am I not
Right? So what do you expect from a mere planetoid?
Oh, I know! You've discovered the whirling of your own orbit
is causing the standard of weight to reduce. And now your annoyed.
Knowing sooner or later the earth's weight may be so trim and fit
So as to join the ranks of we dwarf planets. Hmm? Well, Mr. Tyson (deGrasse)
Study me now as I bend over backwards. May all the moons watch, as you kiss my axis."  

6-16-2015

Manna time

The waitress shot bolt upright, hands on hips
"Okay, listen, I will bring you the house special.
My treat. You will eat it and like it! Remember my tip!"
And with this she spun on her heel. "Quintessential
Server response, that! McP gestured with an arched brow
Toward the swinging kitchen doors. Jack was otherwise
Engaged with a train of thought that was so
Realistic he swore he could feel the rail rattle and ties
Of the track disappear at the same time.
For some time now he had wanted
Nothing more than to prove Daniel's crime.
Or at very least to catch him. Now what daunted,
Nay, what vexed him was he had aided in his escape.
Even so he felt glad and satisfied. The waitress returned with a crepe.