"Sposa ..." by Vivaldi sung by Bartoli,
Plays ...

wives disrespected, ignored, forgotten
she, resounded, off tract, forlorn
found, you, a treasure in Neptune's ocean
faithful to your heart and female notions
then we braced in loving arms
pressing full these bodies charms
when highest notes did meet in kiss
this world, fell away, as though in mist
and all there was were these two souls
immersed in classic rapture ritual
as time spun down this tape of bliss
your mortal coils did drift amiss
though in this heart you always play
this dream's music throughout dog's day

-cec

German Industrial Music spurns —
pounding out its well oiled skirmishes
precision geared for optimal churn
dystopically torn and ragged dervishes
chemically masked in shrouded breathing
turn tables on society's expectant cadres
scrawling doodles on the walls of empire;
wired electrical schematics of stronger emotions
with exploded views of heart's spirited pistons

-cec

Sun-yellow pointing branches
soaking in a sky steel lake
straight and smooth sway
wind in the willows prancing

geese fly low on waters, dip wing
let loose lively horn honks
aiming for the other shore
to gather gaggle from the skein

old and new coots paddle near
not too close to ease their fear
they dive and disappear away
to bob like corks from bottom's buffet

this blind is blind to feathered eyes
a chance to glimpse from this disguise
the leaps and games of fauna's bath
and real a frame through nature's lath

-cec

Last night it stormed, wind and the rain
turbulent was nature, unruly, mutinous
city sirens lurked, night sleepless as bedlam broke
nameless sounds outside the windows spoke
shadowy clouds raced around each other's skirts
buckets rattled, hedges hissed, one dog barked
restless atmospheric fingers plucked flotsam and jetsam
while the birds hunker in their bunkers made of leaves

-cec

Music, sweet music plays its instruments
filling these caverns of glass and steel
a giant bowl of melody's bubbles sloshing
until the swing of rhythm walks and reels
each bypassing person made whole
with bass, fiddle, guitar and peak mandolin

Music, sweet music dreaming a tune
bringing together musicians, ants to sugar
each grain full of heart's energy, swoons
interludes exhale to breath resurgent
whining, tunning up, plucking old timey
song and prance to cort generous chiming

Sweet music's music, strolls through, lofted
making way's sway to new combinations
singles and couplets, thrum out, turn softest
slow then at pace, not race, in syncopation
no humdrum here but humming and druming
you're invited, incited to join in this strumming

-cec

Just heard about cookies with spam!
a full plate was offered with canned ham
baked for a birthday boy of eighty three
Who-said he felt much younger and with glee
They sat 'round a table eating these delicacies
each lauding the bake-tress with laughter, at ease
now give up that recipe and open that can
for it doesn't seem delicious to be just a fan

-cec

Solitude turns down your bed
and in that come and go dream
your eyes closed and open seem
words bud, a  branch of berries speak:
"Before this bottled home we grew
in mountain's *****, tree like,
amongst shafts of colored light.
This bark, as yours, reveals our wisdom's age,
this present sleep, a stem in liquid page."

-cec

The wind of years have left their deposits
shaping these bristly surface features —
in tall evergreens, mountain paths lead on
climbing to the evening stars by moon light
Zen masters intone into the depths stillness
a pool invisible to the tumbled pebbles below
there to quiet the serpent's restless hiss

Our guide, upon the surface drops, a wave
whose motion spreads from placid center
its formless hands compel the earth to spin
like myriad worlds amongst celestial planes
shaping these seeming solid silhouettes
props to lean and fall upon in stumbling train
though mortal coil unwinds, emptyness florets

-cec

Valentines of cut paper and watercolor dyes
exchange hands, hearts and their twinkling eyes
red flowers hanging  on wooden rails
green carpets of grasses lay furrowed in fields
a sun in corner of card with a smile
its beams dancing lightly, quantum in style
sweet candy with brief love proclamations
a legion of animals like flirting crustaceans
all for the aim of an arrow from Cupid
although some would say, 'be less stupid'
grab that brass ring, now tendered as sweetheart
and give that 'one kiss' that sets both your cartes

-cec

bigger outback cars with *** tires roam
swinging down the roads burning ethanol
not knowing how much further to going

that distant red-orange sky gets even so
as though the dark blue gradient were empty
of stars, but night proves otherwise eternity

sleepless at the wheel curving with the way
trying to spend more miles into break of day
believing in the next bend to bring us home

-cec

Innocence is lost in a tiddlywink
no longer humming a swing song
waning years of hard waxing wrongs
whirling without a smile or blink

listen to lamenting reggae voices
calling back our selfie primal pleas
while rhythm beats grind fear free
changing up the down deep choices

how many many moaning hours
must be hung out to cry, and dry
bellyfull of empty and waiting to die
piled higher than the towers of Babylon

-cec

Approaching low these frothy ancient walls
this wooden haul goes groan in hesitation
plays sunken sounds abaft of sodden planks
against wet, wind whipped sheets, slippery rope

Pilot eyes a narrow channel to this coffin's drift
a wheel in fate's hand, spun for all hands deck
one cold sea surge, after another, vaults over
sailor's gritting teeth with sea tears on pale cheeks

Fathoms drowned, as currents swell in rhythmic dance
Davy Jones awaits for those to decompose by chance
a gold doblón, a flipped up sueño, when maelstrom ends
drifting in lines of seaweed lime, or port of heart's content


-cec

You sent me a photo of your legs
resting on beach white sand
as though this was enough of you

In the distance was the Gulf expanse
womb to hurricanes and lost ships
beckoning soulful sailors to their fate

In salty heart and mind, fortunes for love
waterspout hours of landed musing
those appendages of family and anchorage

Longing for the rest of you, sun burns
bottled hopes float endlessly adrft
each lap and wave in an ocean of desire

-cec

An orange sun decends low mountain
shadows climb high the snowy crags
small birds disappear into silent forest
a beeswax candle lites near a cabin window

the inkstone wetted, the brush drinks deep
flowing slow strokes of evening's lament
when heart yearns and love relents
every tremble a storytelling twilight sleep

-cec

It's a gallop, repeating rhythm
a voice singing moog music
swing in the bone marrow
smile is not optional, natural
gravitationally grabbing near bodies
for the dance to come

-cec

Jupiter is star-like tonight
lumbering in the darkness
throwing its gravity about
picking on moons and asteroids
while brewing storms and lightning

From afar it seems crystal
sharp, isosceles rays of light
an ornament in the cosmos
fingers point, faces uplifted amazement
in cold clear black silences

Io, knows its tyranny
stretched and pulled for millennia
calderas of lava rage and flow
blood blasts of internal strife
turning in unknown tranquility of space

-cec