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Dec 2023 · 143
Horns Over Hooves
I am the ram
and you are the moon,
or at least that’s what
we’re told.

My footing stays precise,
to help leap across large gaps
or swiftly tackle obstacles,
avoid a potential mudslide
or traverse rocky waters.

But now the tide is shifting,
as your relentless core
pulls my heart above the earth
where I can see a haze of
lush mountaintops, free from the
uncertainty of life on the rocks.

I’ve seen this magic before,
but this time it looks
too real.
To my moonlit muse; for a Cancer.
Nov 2023 · 738
The flowers can watch
as you gracefully swing
in the breeze, with a chill
that simply brings us
closer to the way we want
to be.

The rivers can wait
til you choose the time
and let your hair down
to glimmer and flow in
the sun.

The birds can hush
and sleep soundly
tonight in the warmth of
your song that makes
young ones dream.

The bees have only
the second best sweets
compared to the scent
of your hugs on
my arm.

The stars won’t do
on an evening like this
when your eyes hold
the shine of a dozen
lives lived.

My heart can stop
and gasp in awe
as your love tickles
mine like a nuzzle
or sneeze.

And I can rest lightly
in blissful glee with
the thought of your
lips pressed up next to
my cheek.
for my person.
Jul 2023 · 692
The Library
In these notes
Are countless tales
Of memories, tried & true

But not a word
From endless books
Compares to me & you.

The turn of phrase,
Or so it goes,
Says all begins anew

I’ll be right here
’Til your last page
And in the next one, too.
Fin.
Jun 2023 · 945
From the Depths, to You
There’s you,
coming up to breathe
for but a few heartbeats
before returning to the
deep, where there’s none
other than those who
belong.

Oh, what a marvelous space,
inverted space to be exact,
to live and float while
still retaining our right to
drift, kick and scream
to noone else but us.

At several leagues I
heard a sound that gave
my neck a chill, but not
the kind that makes one small,
instead the kind that feeds
gigantism in the icy north’s
hadal spheres.

From there, the rest seem lightyears off,
and closely similar in kind and way,
but as you rise at speeds that would
give a man the bends, those waves
will wash away the frightened guppy
until only the brave and strong remain.

It’s a long way down for sure, to
those who couldn’t sense or feel
that rush of bubbling need for fresh
and clean sky in the lungs,
so now theirs hold about a
half dozen wet litres each,
the poor fools.

But what a sight it was to see,
to watch the whitecap gleam
above a newly capsized crew,
and presently neath the sun and
moon and stars at same time;
to hear the truest form of life
that came from both high and low;
now that was worth a second look,
or a third.

And there was I,
wading with my
smallest green lure
and bishaded buoy,
and nothing else was.
Neptunian musings.
Apr 2023 · 774
Home to Me
is where it doesn’t
feel intrusive
day or night

Someone loved will
come along to
lock the doors
and close the light

That simple laugh
from out the porch
will set me down
to listen right

And on arrival
you’ll be there
to touch my lips
with pearly whites
Honey, I'm home.
Jul 2022 · 1.1k
Dearest that I'd Ever Known,
It’s been some years that we have grown
To think of all that made our home
The nights are worst, or so it goes

Our ‘spring would be fifteen and nine
If we had let them both survive
The dogs would live with love divine
We could’ve swam with massive fry

Or sang again while we’re alone
At home or through the telephone
Basked beneath the wild skies
To give a laugh and take surprise

A hundred hearts, one day each year
And two to hold our loved ones near
Who knows what else would be, my dear
Or might’ve been in place of fear

And now I wait for something more
Til death doth part our lives before
The time has come, whence we’ll be sure
It wasn’t worth a life less pure
Dear, oh, dear.
Jun 2022 · 589
Don Juan Loco
Don Juan loco, hablas del amor, pero no es puro
Don Juan Loco, el fuego de tu mirada revela tu traición

Ayúdame! Estoy muriendo, el sentimiento es abrumador
Cuanto mas te amo, mi sed de tu locura se hace mayor

Dime la verdad y me quedare y luchare por ti
pero dime mas mentiras y no voy a seguir

Don Juan Loco, perdida en tu solitario corazón
se encuentra la esperanza que solo tú debes hallar.
Lyrics to a Spanish flamenco song; translated by Carolina Herrera Villazon.
May 2022 · 2.7k
when i'm gone
there won't be many shrouded gowns
or tears or tales to tell
above a bed with tiny frowns
to watch my carcass swell

perhaps a friend or cousin
no colleagues from past tense
i'd be shocked to see a dozen
if i don't outlast the 'rents

don't go too far out of way
or bring a spot of gin
just to watch my bones decay
and sorrow o'er my skin

kiss my head or curse or bawl
i won't know whose farewell
staring at a furnace wall
while looking up from hell

for now i'm lying here to show her
i can’t bear without your face
who knows if you'll need closure
i'll be dressed for just in case

i’d have lived for you but only
let's not talk about regrets
i'll wish you'd never known me
but hate to think you might forget
--The End--
why you did it
still escapes me
but nothing else matters
now

all that savings
for better lives,
vows and memories
don’t make it any
easier

some kind of relief
or reassurance
would be great,
but i know there’s
nothing you could say
or do to fully
convince me

i hope It has
my nose or eyes,
but surely It has
your voice

… guess we’ll see
for T.W. & L.W.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
bun in the oven,
trophies in the attic.
i used to be a beast,
still am in the office.

bad shades and good vibes
are what we used to sell
from fast car windows,
pre-straightened edge.

no more just getting by,
we're gonna do better
than what i had to do
to please the 'rents, if that.

bathroom mirror is worn,
stains on the counter
from hidden faces
and powdered noses.

cool, calm, collected,
clearly a success now
just don't check the
top bedside drawer.
for D.M.L.
I’ll bake your bread
but never eat

I’ll curb your taste
with extra cheese

I’ll sell your wares
through cheeky grin

I’ll charm your trade
while breaking down

I’ll take your calls
neath frowning cheer

I’ll print your life
without the clout

I’ll scrub your floors
and your *****

I’ll give you time
at mine’s expense
for M.S-C. & M.S-P.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
doors are paved
buckets are heavy
fingers are glazed
pockets are ******

give and take
wife and man
pride and joy
hope and plan

air is toxic
back is failing
sleep is painful
bed is creaking

start or stop?
lows or highs?
smith or serf?
debt or worth?

car not starting
strap not locking
meds not working
wheels not stopping
for J.C.P.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
Nov 2021 · 485
american dream
they're living in flowers
up high and across the sea

while we avoid potholes
and bugs just to scrape by
stuck.
Nov 2021 · 621
Stockholm Menagerie
the heat is unbearable
but not like the cold,
without the chance to
gather my bed
for a long slumber

this meal tastes like
ice and poison,
why would they
eat this junk?
then again
maybe they don’t

just a little higher,
i can totally reach
the brim
where the small heads
look on with glee

i wouldn’t hurt anyone,
and i forgive all the
voyeurs
for sacrificing their
time to watch me
survive

i just want to
go home

parallels?

#AbolishZoos #AbolishPrisons #AntiZoo #AntiPrison
eyes on my skin
hands on my hair

eyes on my words
hands on my thoughts

eyes on my home
hands on my rights

eyes on my fun
hands on my slog

eyes on my past
hands on my fate

eyes on my womb
hands on my kin
for T.M.C.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
Sep 2021 · 1.2k
the top
once money don't matter
then it's all about the clout
legends.
Sep 2021 · 1.5k
Pedantic Pics
Hopes and dreams are fairytales
In pictures from your head
The softness in your face’s veil
Is made of stone instead

Sleepy eyelids weigh the scene
Of faulty truths and lies
Crawling through a limousine
Makes up for sorry eyes

There’s sadness in the grinning teeth
And from the tone of mind
A squinted smile and happy cheeks
Are sometimes hard to find
the life.
buzz, ****
doit, mute
hustle first
then bustle
screamin' chops
tired lips
crimson ties
broken blues
closed circles
open arms

wag the dog
book the gig
call the cab
hit the beat
play the set
chew the fat
sell the axe
make the rent
let the next
be the last
for D.P. & M.M.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
Aug 2021 · 872
Power vs Demand
watch over the colony
shedding their lives
to pay for a lend

cover your ears
don't humor the calls
but cully the fear

"please, we are freezing
there's not enough food
our children are ill"

hush little ones
your leaders have failed
shame on the lot

this is your trial
and We are the judges
sitting on hands
The Legislators vs the people
Jul 2021 · 688
The Bizzi
shiny ‘vette
velvet walls
noontime cabaret

passing by, bye

cigarette
cell phone calls
boot mark to the face

push and pull
take the cake
climb to the top!

rise at the top!

wallet’s fat
bank account swells
now some time to wait

nice and full
got it made
winding the clock!

(winding the clock!)

scratching backs
fingernails smell
now i'm turning grey

take my dime,
not my time

what was that?
slot machine bells
not for me today

or any day

one more sip
of lemonade
when will it stop?

when will it stop?
when will it stop?
when will it stop?

when will it?
Lyrics for small jazz ensemble & voice.
Jun 2021 · 938
volta
𝄆   suffer  |  survive  |  sing   𝄇
repeat.
live hard,
care free on
the open lanes
just to get a
break
from it all.

besides,
how am i supposed to
have any fun
cooped up
like a house cat?

this place is different,
just enough light and
not too sticky but
the hops taste like
stale lollipops.

"call for a good time"
thanks, way ahead of ya.
two-dollar condoms?
what a way to make
an extra buck.

i'm back, sorry
wasn't expecting
to stay so long.
i'm parked out front,
what's your favorite
breakfast food?

Mom warned me not to
trust these dogs,
should've used
my last eight quarters.
for L.J.W.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
May 2021 · 1.1k
i sell the bombs
my name's mort
the third
and i sell the
bombs

after hours
me 'n' the boys
grab a bite of
carpaccio

the world is ours
but never yours
without the Wheel it
stops

ring around
guys 'n' gals
we'll give you the
deal

take all you want
sure, you can
pay us back next
year
https://www.rtx.com/news/2020/11/30/raytheon-technologies-honors-giving-tuesday

#BDS
#EndTheWars
#FreePalestine
May 2021 · 632
Separation Anxiety
It's heavy on the head,
that letting-go part.

The whole,
"We need some time apart;
it's just too draining.
Maybe in a few years we can see
how much you are
and where we want to go
from there."

Figures.
Always running the show,
always giving me a hard time,
lifting me up
just to slam me down,
whooping my *** while I'm
sprawled out like roadkill.

(Though it's so hard to turn away...)

The lies are told to desperate ears,
making the pickings ever sweeter.

Thanks for the pick-me-up!
Now where's the put-me-back-down?
When do we plummet
way past our infamous goals
to the deeply imagined?
More than a fair share of fun
for the measly price of living!

Too many goodnights
haunted by negativity,
when sleep is better
than anxiety.

(The real test is when it decides to show its face again...)

Bah,
that won't be for a while,
at least until I've
made a name for myself
in some...
other way.

Once the mirror shows beneath
the tailored suede suit;
then we'll see who separates the lazy
from the dead.

I wonder if there will be a day
when I can wake up,
sure that there will be no more
condescendence
from my craft.
Invalidation.
May 2021 · 872
mad nights
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls
witness every shape and size
and as the whole world spins and swirls
not all but one may realize

Life brings trouble, worry and woe
but drowsy spirits pave the way
for pacing thoughts rode to and fro
until the breaking light of day
The circus.
Apr 2021 · 547
the other way
i used to have this
friend
we would go outside
during the days
after the bell

one game we played
was kind of like
hunting
except it didn't
feel natural

lizard brains
were easy enough
to catch and ****
without a second
thought

we would stuff their
mouths
with explosives
then find and burn
the remains

until that time he
accidentally blew off
his own hand
we don't play anymore.

#EndTheWars #SanctionsKill
(for Mike & Jason)
Apr 2021 · 1.2k
Those Bless'd Cheeks
Those bless'd cheeks
Are donned by God
As angels seek
Their latest garb

A rose would be
Confused as such
If ever seen
Beside your blush

A sacred tune
Erupts from when
A kiss is due
To praise your skin

The finest silk
The fur of cubs
Are not the ilk
Of your soft love

I'd gladly brace
A thousand thorns
To brush your face
But once each morn

And fear thee not
For age would come
And I'll have caught
The two-for-one
perfect.
i think he was a delivery guy
building four, number 2
across the walk

a moped with one of those
cage attachments
for carrying food
or packages
or whatever

one time i brought over a
loose hammer found near
his bike and caught a
glimpse through the door

gray couch,
folding chairs,
table full of wires
nothing out of the ordinary
same layout as ours

white Hats barreled in
before we could react
the dog was first
then my brother
then me

guess they had some bad intel
#EndTheWars
for peace in solidarity
Feb 2021 · 3.4k
tiny futures
budding thoughts of newer days
on post-its everywhere
each behold a simple life
that should be made to bear

tiny futures made of ink
that whistle under hands
wait until they’re asked to speak
as more the world demands

if every human from the earth
fulfilled their ecstasy
then nothing would be hungered for
and none would cease to be

we’ll search the journals and the notes
if we can do a thing
for those who can’t or those who won’t
to live under a wing

to wish is but to live or die
and you’ve been last to know
the nights are cold and days are dry
so write them as you go
inspired by “Post-It Dreams”
an article by Dr Tressie M Cottom
medium.com/@tressiemcphd/post-it-dreams-9d12095a7342
Feb 2021 · 358
The Man with the White Hair
expose the fear
without a word
just show receipts
and it crumbles

sound the fife
whence you’ve found
a new tuppence
beneath the throne

watch your back
or feel revenge
bite your tongues
and swallow them

don't you forget
who’s in charge
and whoever else
thinks they are

take the name
in every land
from subtle cues
to ration life

... then they came for the artists.
#FreeAssange #WeAreAllAssange
Feb 2021 · 1.0k
missed
i couldn’t find you.

i looked everywhere,
including the spot
you said to look.

a lifetime ago i might’ve
found you there
but not here,
not now.
will you be?
Feb 2021 · 572
Do Not Wait for Me
Here’s another day to breathe
With fewer yet to be
Set the time for better eves
But do not wait for me

Justify the game we made
In wallowing the fear
Pretending limes are lemonade
As weeks turn into years

Through a friendly daze to weave
Conceal the feelings known
But promise not to wait for me
Until I’ve fully grown

Yes, you can keep your eyes at sea
As countless tales may go
But darling, do not wait for me
For I may never show
sorry to keep you waiting.

Folk Song lyrics for guitar & voice
Jan 2021 · 464
Marking Mr. Rich
“Here’s the contract,

sign the line
with your codes
don’t forget the
shared collateral

Keep it clean

there’s a spot
between the Eyes
where the feeds
can’t see

Make it petty

grab the dirt
and his wallet
we’ll call it
‘botched robbery’

He was ****

tried to show
what we said
at the 'Yard
last summer”

… I forgot the wallet.
for The Convo Couch
#FreeAssange
still not enough
two cold cups of coffee later,
once the morning show has ended
and Boss quits yelling through walls.

jingle bells leap through the door,
an alert to be alert.
yeah times are tough,
but we're tougher.

keep on smiling,
another threat will leave
and you’ll still have a job
and you’ll still have a bed.
so they’re not satisfied
with the color palette,
big deal.

escape route would be nice,
but then it’d be You vs World
and there’s just too many of Them.

well,
at least soon there will be
one more of Us.
for M.S-P.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
can't sleep,
early to rise
and search the
classifieds.

one more movie
should do the trick.
or maybe finish
that next game level?

i'll shower after
i get back from
the station,
long walk since
the tire popped.

first things first,
smoke break.
meet us around back
in buddy's tinted van,
you know
where nobody goes.

8 or 9 months is
plenty of time
to shape up.
gotta get it all in
before there's no more room
for my needs.
for A.J.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
hello,
how can i help you?
...
sure i can do that,
do you have an account with us?
...
i'm not sure Sir,
did she leave a hint?
...
well, i would but
i'm not your wife.
...
it means i have no way of knowing
what her favorite book is,
can we try another form of info?
...
that's not listed here either Sir,
aren't you a grown adult
or do you get a kick out of
lewd prank calls?
...
you won't have to,
i don't need this stress.
for B.J.P.
--
the ones that teach you,
who lift you up over
their heads
in good faith,
these are their stories.
Nov 2020 · 412
End the Wars
boom.


that's it.
that's the poem.
Art is antiwar, no exceptions.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ravSoceWgu4
Oct 2020 · 324
little screen
show me
how to be

what I need
who I am
why I care

when's the new?
where am I?
you look very nice in that box.
Jun 2020 · 358
in(tro)spection
heat
fog
pity
dread

those masks
don’t hide
your sin
very well

with every inch
of our blood
we crave for
the soft life

the street is bloated
with pus of greed
while fresh wounds seek
the hand of virtue

for the tired, in reparation
for the made, in rumination
for the hurting, in salubrity
for the fallen, in solidarity
written in additive form progression: 1 word, 2 words, 3 words, etc.

for peace in solidarity
May 2020 · 842
why we do it
doesn’t matter

it’s the fact that
every last one of

you

thinks we shouldn’t
and that’s where
you’re wrong

give us an alternative
that will raise the bar
that high
that fast
from that little

you can’t

i don't blame you for not trying
the work continues, for peace in solidarity.
Jan 2020 · 503
Spirit Murderers
To Whom it May Concern,

My blood begins to burn
and I’m compelled to spurn
the current plans to turn
our mascot to a worm.

The members from my firm
cannot stay taciturn
when our alumni learn
that strangers overturned
the past we had governed
because they’re all stubborn,
seeking to be modern
and spread, exploit and churn
their folly and their germs.

I urge you to discern
the consequence you’ll earn
unless you can confirm
our legacy long-term.
We will not adjourn
until it’s reaffirmed
that history is stern
and keeps our old pattern.

If you do not concur
and submit to our terms,
then surely you will yearn
for courtesy interns
as funding will downturn
and we will watch you squirm
like spiders in an urn
at the point of no return.

Sincerely, Dr. Kern
monorhyme about the influences of funding on schools' decision making

for peace in solidarity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
Dec 2019 · 466
among these halls
many learn lessons that schools cannot teach
where ego meets danger and unknowns beseech
perhaps there is nothing and everyone’s clean
or maybe there’s something that’s going unseen
from teachers who cheat to admins who steal
no dose of prestige can save lives that are real

the crossing guard owns twenty cats with the mange
school cop clipped his brother while out on the range
a history teacher abusing his kids
librarians selling school books to high bids
the crew in the arts are all in on a coup
while the principal staff launders money for *****

hey, i’m just here to sweep up and i call what i see
other folks won’t speak up but a few will agree
i don’t do that no more, i’m out five years last june
they’ll be following suit lest they change their act soon
still no one here dares to expose what’s involved
in keeping the peace held among these halls
couplet for those just trying to get by

for peace in solidarity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
Nov 2019 · 405
Ode to Sisyphus
No matter how much strength of yours is kept
It always comes back down to whom you know
For every time you think you are adept
The caws of meritocracy doth crow

Americans have dreamt in dreams of gold
High hopes upheld with promises of clout
By working hard there’s fortune to behold
Lest lack of means cause gatekeepers to doubt

Yes, push that rubble up the sacred hill
To watch it fall and tumble to the depths
For all eternity it is your will
To pay with sweat and blood for all your debts

Perhaps if only there were something more
To lifting destitution from the floor
a sonnet for the oppressed

for peace in solidarity.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
Nov 2019 · 995
Sorority Figure
I’m sure it’ll be a great party
even though I’m dressed like a Barbie
it’s all in good fun
I won’t drink more than one
and they probably won’t even card me.

I’m sure the flyers aren’t serious
the cover girls all look delirious
the guys all wear suits
while the women “let loose”
but I can’t justify the criteria.

I’m sure it was one great big joke
the way your fraternal friends spoke
it wasn’t the way
you called me your bae
it’s just that I’ve never been groped.

I’m sure it wasn’t your fault
and it wasn’t really assault
so let’s just forget
the ***** and the sweat
and take it with a grain of salt.

I’m sure there’s nothing to fear
and in nine months to a year
we’ll give in to fate
and when you graduate
we can shack up and share a career.

Now I’m sure I was being naive
turns out your name wasn’t Steve
and all the support
you swore not to retort
leaves me nothing to do but to grieve.
limerick written from the perspective of a victimized young woman

for peace in solidarity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
Nov 2019 · 5.7k
Color Blind
Every time they speak
Of injustice in the streets
A silence is born

We watch the cries of widows
And hide beneath our pale skin
a Japanese tanka #BlackLivesMatter #BlueLivesMurder

for peace in solidarity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
Oct 2019 · 559
everyone
everyone says
strong bootstraps
beget rewards
while leagues
of craftsmen
struggle

everyone follows
another trend
overboard while
Davy Joneses
hold their
breath

everyone feels
their sin
beside beggars
with hands
made of
*******

everyone thinks
job creators’
heroic strength
will someday
trickle down
decency

but

everyone knows
when something
is heavy
you lift
from the
bottom
modified cinquain using word limits

for peace in solidarity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
Oct 2019 · 894
Advice
hear, hear
through your skull
stuffed with thick tears
clarity
May 2019 · 1.4k
The Good Things
graham ******* mud pie at pop's,
rest his soul
the rush of new friendships,
the faith in letting go

reading when you’re lonely,
chillin' while you’re old,
rivers in the blinding heat,
campfires in the cold

car rides with the windows down,
jogging with the pooch,
biking through a foreign town,
stealing a native smooch

gum drops,
lemon heads,
marshmallow peeps,
sunday dinner,
carnivals,
local meet-and-greets

snow days,
warm winter days,
soup to ward the flu,
paydays,
big-puppy days,
and coming home to you
for you.
Dec 2018 · 608
never enough
two times the charm
a gallon of tears
bedtime rituals
and the most out of life

still
the glass is half
empty

a ring made of your mind
tickets to dreams
freedom from blame
and three handfuls of safety

now
it's but half
full
square one
Dec 2018 · 2.9k
Anomie
the disease of despair
gambling
suicide
hate
sadism

symptoms, not causes
of the brown blood
drained from swines'
pockets

gather up your coat
and your hat
for the primetime
event
inspired by Émile Durkheim

for peace in solidarity

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojleMU9rZ4k
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