Beware poets.  Conceit consumes

Oh yes, we understand how you have suffered
Such great gifts no one understood,
Except that teacher, so eager to please with ink stained hands

Beware young poet of your mirrored pen-hand
Reflecting only your own visions
        As if you could replace God in this universe of stars
Your mirrored hand withdrawn from the waters of truth leaves no impression
Only the smallest ripple for an instant remains (poets understand this)

Beware young poet of your own conceit
You say nothing new,
You write old truths to fresh eyes
Is that enough for you?
  
Stand without ego if you can…strive selflessly
Put ambition away
Show love
Let go of conceit to see the world and write

An old friend left town today
The conveyance was his favorite handgun
After departing he placed the gun next to his body
On the other side of his body was an empty whiskey bottle
The coroners report said, “Cause of Death – Desire to visit other planes of existence”

The local paper said he was a strange genius tangled up in complicated metaphor
The underground papers all said he found a ticket and decided to use it
I figure he decided he had told everyone here about his sad loneliness and
Thought new ears might be needed to bring fruit to his suffering
Even if he didn’t know what the ears would look like

My friend left behind millions of words written over decades in an attempt
To explain his sudden departure
I found it odd that in the opening word of his first poem I saw the answer
That opening word was “She”…
What followed was a lifetime of goodbyes written and published with love

Go sit near the piano
Let me see your colors and textures as music
Take your place in the rainbow
Fly like a flock of doves (in)
Choral sunlight
Radiate visions (of)
Peace and hopefulness
Let us praise this woman (of life)

Take that cup of cool water
Offer it to me
Sing in a chorus of angels joyfully alive
Stand in the sun
You are radiant truth (my lady)

Take down that book of poems and hold it near your heart (sweetness)
Join gentle history made for lovers
Earth’s precious produce
Touch poor hearts
Release their light (sweet princess)
Take away this man’s binding scars
With healing grace

sad sad heart

kiss your image

sadly frozen in pictures

taken to find some hope


spread those self-portraits

on the floor of your life

find one that says patience

touch your face with courage


open your heart to your smile

freeze-framed like a frightened bird

pretty dress and hair of ribbons

tell us your story sad sad girl

I ride this watchful journey

   Rivers wind through ancient caverns

    Across open plain, up mountain side

  Vantage point where you stand

           Alone and wondering

Telling out the things you see and taste



Would you sleep quietly, your dream sleep

             Nestled next to poet devotion?

Flesh and blood casualty to your secrets

     Body giving way to deep views under your wants?



I stand staked a slave to ripping eyes and mind

        Laser-look lingering on motive

     Report what you feel and desire and wish poetess

     Grist to you, fuel to passions stylus, my blood, river to your sailing

A lady I know shuns the light of unknown things
The doors she opens lead to safe and safer places

This lady holds tight to self
Her grasp fast to a man-made light

If she lets go, she fears, she will fall
And falling brings winds of unknown places

She works on mooring lashings tightly fixed
Breath and blood squeezed out, never in

      Until life intervenes and teaches
             The dear lady will be loved but not know love

By gentle hearts surrounding and kind minds protecting
She sleeps in the hollow of her making

Her children give **** to breast
Mother flows out to her only growth

Dance to her drum pilgrim, bow low and say excuse me
Perhaps you will linger awhile with this lady

Open the door to your reflection dear lady
Sweet princess, sweeten the womb that nurtures you

Bring your soups of solace to the loving
Pass out the mead that brings controlled acceptance
..........

But for your life, open a door not knowing
Break the seals held to your safe keeping

Tip platitudes platter crashing to earth
Rip your blouse and cry for new life

Stir the nest, your fledgling heart to fly
Fall into future; change is chance, fear not loved lady

hello poetry
are you active?
no one reads my poems
so i feel sad

hello poets
are you here?
you don't read my poems
so i feel alone

hello, hello
are you listening?
please read my poems
be kind to a poet

Am I only addicted or
do I love you so deeply
I am sick without you?

Time will scream it to me eventually,
but I am, as usual, impatient
Will time whisper an answer to you?  
Will you gently wake me from
my slumber to kiss an answer to me?  

Will I plant a poem deep inside of your body?
My poem will find nourishment
inside you wrapped in warm fluid love
until time calls it to come out

Life will be next to your body
a suckling at your breast,
inspiration and patient growth
- Another addict spiral close
to your skin's touch and
your body’s liquid treasure
  
Will I **** my poem out of jealousy,
wishing to take that place at your
breast for inspiration?  
Addicts and Lovers are like that you know.

I tried to write an epic poem about you
Each word I wrote diminished the truth
So I stopped