I am Coyote
in human form
one who drools poetry
sly as a bag of bones
alert to every hazard

Long odds  
are nothing to me
I'll beat every beast
with courage and finesse

And to get to the next realm
where I become myself
I must leave scant traces
survey the world
through scent and sound

And find the bridge
that builds itself
as I walk
across a terrifying chasm
of evolution and magic
to human form

Here to ponder your fate
Here to look to your good nature
Here to endure your pogroms

And survey your world
notwithstanding your traps and tricks
with a modicum of good cheer.

Ever wary.
Ever well.

Gunpowder blue sky
yet no blue, really
except for the blue
wrapped into the spectrum
of black to grey to white

A storm blows in
the sea in an uproar
no holds barred
no remorse for the cormorant
or the gull
in these fierce swells

We know nothing of power
until we know the sea.
We know nothing of journeys
until we journey upon waters
as wild as these.

Odysseus would have shied
from this salt caldron
from these wind-tossed waves
stayed on some pleasant rock
imbibing the lotus.

And who would blame him?
Only a fool
or a sailor without hope
would venture into the teeth
of this tempest.

And that sailor would have cause
to regret his choice
would understand the depths
of his folly
as he slipped into darkness
and clasped hands
with the legions of the drowned
asleep in the swirl of the sea.

come one, come all.
gather 'round, gather 'round the table.
you'll find your invitations—
corporations' coupons—packed
between stories of Indigenous
People, shot by militarized cops in riot gear.
Water Protectors defending the river
while a black snake rears to poison the well.
tear gas, rubber bullets, and concussion grenades
replace ragged blankets draped in smallpox.
a tradition rooted in genocide
upheld in frigid North Dakota.
no need to ponder
the lasting legacy
of a leader who campaigned
on "hope" and "change." a hypocrite
continuing a tradition of colonial
aggression, lying by omission.
just another facet
of his presidential profession.
so drown the news of a fascist's
election in gravy and eggnog,
viscous substances to gorge
yourselves on. Nazis vandalizing
black churches with swastikas
must've escaped your notice.
vacuous, preaching
that Jesus is the reason
for the season, but i think
your savior would flip
your Thanksgiving Table over.
flimsy pretenses of gratitude
discarded hours later, chasing deals
before your stomach could even settle.
your brand new 4K TV
cost you over $4K, but couldn't give you
a clearer picture. you continue to disregard
the smoke signs and headlines,
pursuing the material.
consume!

[prose poem]

If You are love, and You are in all the things I love–
then You are in my morning coffee cup. The one I drink when I've had little sleep, and I feel the adrenaline sizzle my skin. You are in those fresh mornings, when everyone is asleep. And I walk on tiptoes, loving the silence, the delicate serenity.
You are in every string quartet I've heard, every pull of the string, every soft harmony. You are in pens, yellowed old pages, in nights I spent on balconies looking over the edges–
You are in my walks, here and there– You are in these pages.
You are sometimes even in what I hated.
This body that I predicated, that I detested– You've dwelt here, You've cleansed me. You chose this, before the ages.
You are love, and my everything.

Some days she is far above me
cumulus, billowing
complimenting the sky
as she drifts and changes
slowly
Shine one moment
Shadows next

Some days she can't be seen
or is distant and alone on the horizon
she shies from the Sun
but at night we watch the stars together

Some days
after the rains
when all the quiet things come out
and patter the forest floor with
hushed steps
when I am outside listening
and my head is like an empty bowl
she curls from me
rising, slipping out over the valley
embracing the hills
and running her fingers thru the trees
like so much tall grass
laughing

I breathe and she is my breath
filling my hallow
she is all I see

Forgive me, please--
I ran away
I couldn't stay
where I was despised.
I had no idea
how cruel she was
to you.
I thought
she lavished you with love,
all the love she
denied me.
I wish I had known.
I would have taken you with me,
taken custody,
and run away,
pushing you
in that big
teal bicycle wheel
stroller
you loved to thrill ride in,
screaming with delight
when, running at full speed,
I took the earthen ramp that
made you fly, and as soon as we touched down
squeal,
"Again!"

Or we could have escaped when
I used to toss you
high in the air, and catch you,
if, just once, an angel
would have come to our
rescue and caught you up,
and then me,
and flown us far away to Hawaii,
where we would have lived
very happily
while you grew up,
knowing every day
that you are loved,
unconditionally,
and safe,
protected by your
daddy elephant
from the icy blasts of indifference
and all harm.
Daddy elephant's big ears
are always listening
to the whispers
of your heart
and our hearts
would have understood
and respected
each others feelings,
fears, wants and needs.
We'd never need to fight
we'd say just what we felt
and be unafraid
to talk about anything.

In some cultures
they believe that
everything you imagine
is real.
In that spirit
and with all the love
I couldn't express,
I give you now the childhood
you dream of,
may you feel it
and know
it is true.

Comes a time
when the mathematics
of the years
becomes more about
- than +,
÷ rather than x.

When wisdom gained
< vitality lost,
and dis-ease > health.

A good night's sleep
and some energy ≈
happiness.

Living is
tangential
to survival,
and not
necessarily
congruent.

I've got too many questions and not enough answers.
Have you got some wisdom to share?
I'm far out at sea, no wind's blowing for me.
I'll take any truth you can spare.

"Three points of contact! Cover your bases!
Hedge all your bets, but shoot for the stars!
Follow your dream, but remember your zip code!
Keep some of it liquid--invest in gold bars!"

Wherever I look and whoever I ask,
Their words only lead me astray.
There must be a wise man, a really old wise man,
Who truly can show me the way.

Tossing and turning, sleep now eludes me.
I get up to wash off my face.
Stumbling into the bathroom, I flip on the light switch,
and the mirror blows up in my face.

There stands an old guy in the mirror before me!
Where is the face that was mine?
The wrinkled old guy looking back from my eyes
Says in my voice, "You'll be fine!"

What can he mean? And who can he be?
And what's going on around here?
He says, "One more thing: you don't need to worry--
You really have nothing to fear!"

"But how do I know if I'm doing what's right?"
He says, "Trust your heart and your soul.
You're doing that now, just keep on without doubt!
You're well on your way to be whole."

"But what if it doesn't work out like I planned?"
What if my dreams go astray?"
"Then make your dreams bigger than ever before,
Plant seeds and stay out of the way."

"To harness the power that's waiting to help you,
Feel free to dream big and dream bold
What do you want most to give to the world?
That no one be homeless or cold?"

"Whatever you want to change in the world--
You can! Just start where you are.
Keep singing your song 'til a friend sings along
Go ahead and shoot for the stars!"

"The very best piece of advice I can give:
Find something that's near to God's heart,
Bring more love and kindness into the world,
She'll help you right from the start."

"Maybe Jesus was just a guy who was sure
that love could make the world better.
Of course he was right and it still seems to help,
until it comes down to the letter."

"Now it's your turn to shine," the wise man concluded.
"Don't think that you can't, 'cause you do.
Give all that you've got in that warm heart of yours,
You'll find that big dreams do come true!"