Around floating
grains of sand kicked up
by the sprinting toes
of shoeless feet

There remains
a bursting glow
of the purest

Joy

The sea came rolling in,
On beads of foam and glass

It licked the grainy floor,
And chased us to the sand

We turned 'round and laughed
To mock its reaching lips,

Until a tidal wall
Came tumbling upon us,

Grasping our knees,
Curling our toes,
Stiffening our spines,

As it suprised us
With swiftness and with cold

Then just as quickly it retreated,
Hoping to take its prize
But we stood still and steadfast,
Digging our feet into the shore,

While the ocean's edge rushed past us,
To regroup,
And renew the chase
Once more

"Not today!" we shouted,
With victory in our eyes,
As relief turned to defiance,
And truth returned to lies

Perhaps tomorrow
We will dive into the crashing waves,
And spread our limbs
To cool ourselves
From fires that burn within

But today
We will stand tall,
And watch blazing hues
Of amber and magenta
Dance with cobalt blue,

As the sun melts
Into the seam

Where the sea meets the sky

She was named "Camelia"
when she was born
but we called her "Rose"
because of her thorns

not on her skin
but those within

And still we cherished
her petals even
as they fell

deep soft velvet
in our arms

Contrary to popular belief,
we have found WMDs in Iraq,
whose Tigris and Euphrates rivers
once flowed into the Garden of Eden.

But true to popular belief,
these WMDs were not weapons
of mass destruction, in the usual
meaning of that phrase,

They turned out to be wars
of mutual destruction, fueled
by fear and anger against
the most vulnerable within our reach

It matters not that good
intentions guided bombs
and tanks to destroy the
land and lives of innocents

To a man who buried his
family in the smoking ashes
of his ancestral home, or that
vengeful reprisals have no

Other cause, to a mother who
sheds tears upon her favorite
photo of her dead son, whose
body has come home

But whose blood was spilled
into the Tigris and Euphrates

And it matters not
that treasures spent
in futile efforts to fix
what through unfounded

Belief was broken,
by laying siege to
vanquished tribes
to form a nation

Foreign to their own.
And though livelihoods
and communities have
been drained of hope

And promise at home,
there is no end in sight
for wars still fueled by
fear and anger against

The most vulnerable
within our reach.

Though it takes more lifetimes
than have ever been
for starlight to cross the universe
and be embraced by your gazing eyes

It only takes an instant
at the pace of its own rhythm
for the heart of its heart
to find its way into your own

It's yours, baby
sip a little
chug a lot
throw it in the river
or polish out the spots

Break it
melt it
paint it
cap it with a candle
or fill it up again
with *****
or perfume

Because it's yours, baby
no deposit
no return

There is an old man
got one good leg
don't use no cane
he just hops on
down the road

He got a mangy dog
don't see too good
can't hear much too
it just follows
its nose

And when trouble comes
they got no place to go
they just stand their ground
and bring some trouble
of their own

So watch out
for a one leg man
watch out
for a mangy dog
if you got trouble
on your mind

And when good times come
they still got no place to go
they just hang around
and bring some good times
of their own

Watch out
for a one leg man
watch out
for a mangy dog
if you got good times
on your mind

What did Donald Duck
say to the Bill of Rights?

For America
it's Hawaii

For Canada
it's the Yukon

Still good to be
American

It happened in a memory,
not so long ago,
one that had escaped me,

a glimpse of
what I used to know

When Theia crashed
Into the Earth
Four billion years ago,
It was initially
Absorbed
And then let go,
To orbit for eternity in unwinding rings and slow

When Voyager
Flew past Jupiter at
Breakneck speed
or more, it caught
A glimpse and teased
Propulsion that
paused
The giant just a bit,
Every
Trillion
Years
Or
So

His weapon is raised
pointing forward
still relaxed though
ready to attack even
while in retreat

His legs are coiled
bent at the knees
and keep him en garde
while his free hand
dangles freely
to maintain some
fleeting balance

Yet when he hears
"Allez!"
he sees no foe
and feels no threat
this time there is
only his own path

So he removes his mask
and looks ahead
then drops his weapon
uncoils and
begins

You will find much happiness
in the New Year

Shaky trees
stir the wind
and throw their
leaves into a spin
of sparks that
reach the clouds
before the ground

Their branches
are too restless
for climbing but
thrive as swings and
roosts for birds on wing

Like us
who found them
when our voyage
overwhelmed
our senses and direction
but not our spirit
as we let go
of what we left behind
and dreamed
of what we would become
before we took flight
anew

If we destroy America
on our own

There will be nothing left
for terrorists to do

I’m on my way
to see the Devil

I’m almost there
I’ll be there soon

‘Cause what I need
ain’t in Heaven

Got to sell my soul
to ease this pain



It’s been a long
and troubled journey

And all my roads
have been dead ends

But I go on
takin’ on

Whatever comes
with the turning day

I go on
takin’ on

What comes along
with the turning day



I lost my love
a long time ago

Chasing what
I still don't know

When I looked back
all I saw was black

Every good thing was gone
and she was too


So now I'm on my way
to see the Devil

I'm almost there
I'll be there soon

'Cause what I need
ain't in Heaven

Got to sell my soul
to ease this pain

Then I’ll head down
a new direction

Until I find
my love again

And when I do
I’m gonna face the Devil

I'll break that hold
and free my soul



Then we’ll go on
takin’ on

Whatever comes
with the turning day

We'll go on
takin’ on

What comes along
with the turning day

He put the moon in my hand
     long before I knew
          the measure of its weight

          It felt like almost nothing
     as if floating
above the reach
          of my fingers
    

               It had no special features
          to reward my wandering eyes
     as they continued on elsewhere

And there seemed to be no reason
     to keep it in my grasp
          so I soon returned it
               into my father's hand

                
                       But afterward I felt it
                resting in my palm
          growing heavy and then fading
       in phases without sequence
or boundaries of time

Barely perceptible
     like shadows pulling forward
          it guides me still

               Leading me past emptiness
          lifting me past hope
     rising highest in the darkest hours

I see its face again

Good moon rising
from the fiery molten marle
that once we saw as sun
absorbing

the radiant night
like the blackened sea
drinks in the falling sky

A candle in the darkness
searching

for the gentle
chorus of the stars

???

A tiny oasis
on the road to somewhere else
weary travelers passing

pause

for a moment
for respite
for fuel
for refreshment

before moving on

to places dreamed of
and dreamed about
sometimes in posters
on the walls

new york london paris
saint louis too
and new orleans

a lithe slip of a girl
floats

out of nowhere

with ponytail bobbing
and smiling eyes
shining

announcing specials
from yesterday's fare

requests and selections
noted

she
looks around and
briefly

recalls her own

as she pirouettes
before disappearing

behind curtain doors

To nuke, or not to nuke-- is that the question?
Whether 'tis nobler in the end to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fury
Or take up arms against a sea of violence
And by opposing join them. To die, to sleep--
To sleep--when we cast away all hope,
And begin the thousand years
That waste is heir to. 'Tis a consummation
Devoutly to be questioned. To die, to sleep--
To sleep--no more to dream: ay, there's the rub,
For in that sleep of death no dreams may come
And no waking hour shall see the sun,
When we have snuffed this mortal soul.

It all began
with injustice
when the innocence
of a child was stolen
and set you floating
like a butterfly
to sting
Liston
Patterson
Frazier
Foreman
and so many others
who failed
to knock you down

But when your wings
were clipped
you stood
like a man
and given the choice
between jail or war
you chose justice
and won your
greatest battle

by unanimous decision

It was still early, so I took another look around and, sure enough, there was some dug-in grime around where my rickety sofa-bed used to be. I had spent the last 24 hours scrubbing, scraping, wiping and polishing the tiny apartment that used to be my home and although I was exhausted, I couldn't sleep or rest or even sit still for two seconds at a time, so I sprayed that grimy spot with some 409 and scoured it over and over until I found clean.

     Most of my stuff I had already put out on the street to let whoever take what they wanted and then I tossed the leavings to a trash bin. Not much. Mostly personal items and this and that. Things I had survived on, and maybe buried me, these past few years. But I did keep a few things . . . a couple pictures, some old letters, and my son's baseball mitt. It was well-worn but in good shape, even though it was the only one he ever used. I would be traveling light, taking just a few extra clothes, razor and such, and the thickest parka I could fit into my duffel bag. Oh, and a new black suit that I had packed in a separate bag. Also, I would be traveling with a friend.

     I hadn't known him long, maybe a few weeks. When I first saw him he was lying in an alley next to the bar down the street. His face was all bruised, his eyes were swollen, and blood was oozing out his mouth and nose. He was still breathing, but I couldn't tell if he was conscious, so I yelled, "Hey Chief . . . you OK?" He didn't answer, so I looked up and down both ends of the alley, didn't see anyone, and started to check his pockets for anything that I could score. They were empty on one side, so I rolled him over to check the other side when his hand came flying up and grabbed me by the throat. He was squeezing so hard, I thought he was going to break my neck, but then all of a sudden he just let go. I would have been scared shitless but it happened so fast all I could do was gag. Then everything got all bright as a spotlight lit the alleyway and two cops came toward me with their guns pulled.

There is no Central
in South Central anymore
just South LA incinerated
            at its core

What justice can there be
in violence defended
just because it's chained
to violence unrepented

No matter the degree
or source of blind-eyed
blame a match once-lit
will still result in flames

And shouts with rage
upon deaf ears cause
heels to dig with deeper
fear unlike the sound
of ebbing waves

That wash away
the tortured sand
and make new ground
where we can stand

the air is crisp
and the sky takes a breath
as our footsteps crunch
their way through white
strips rising from a
crystalline field, bearing
the markings of tigers
on their way to heaven,
crowned by dancing dabs
of jade fluttering
in the rustling breeze

I see her
in a mirror broken

jagged lines
and tiny gaps
with darkness in
the spiral cracks

between the flashes
brilliant

of eyes that hypnotize
and drown
in their unblinking
gaze

the wisps of hair
that never stay behind
ears pierced with
pearl
studs and turquoise

crimson in
her
lips revealing
wonder in smiles
and awe
and tears

in juxtaposition
all
angles and angels
glowing

there is beauty

in a mirror
broken

We should have learned from Jericho
but we keep building walls
to keep out and hold in
with fleeting form
what we seek
to call our own

And when they come tumbling down
we wonder what we could have done
and what we will do now
that they are what
they have always been
before we build again

As fire spread
across the break
and down the face
of the next hill

he rose silhouetted
against the blaze
and turned to say
he would be back

before the wind
after the calm

He gathered up his gear and
clambered down the ridge
to clear the valley wall
as far as he would dare

as embers rained like fireflies
inside the flakes of falling snow

And when the storm erupted
swirling all around him
he turned again
this time to say
he would be there

after the wind
before the calm

Someone once said
that we are drawn to the sea

because the sea changes
and the light changes
and the ships change

but the ocean is constant
in all of us

its salt is in our blood
in our sweat
in our tears

We all came from the sea
and when we go back

to swim
to sail
to see

We leave behind
who we once were
and find each other

again
beyond the far horizon

She walks in beauty, like the night
   Of cloudless climes and starry skies;
And all that’s best of dark and bright
   Meet in her aspect and her eyes;
Thus mellowed to that tender light
   Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
   Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,
   Or softly lightens o’er her face;
Where thoughts serenely sweet express,
   How pure, how dear their dwelling-place.

And on that cheek, and o’er that brow,
   So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
   But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
   A heart whose love is innocent!

The sun went down
and the moon returned
above a wave
of thunderclouds

The nightbirds sang
and the grey wolves howled
but not for me

Lightning flashed
and thunder crashed
while denizens
of the night joined
the chorus as they fled

But the only sound
that I could hear
was the tapping
of the morning rain

Won't you lend your lungs to me
Mine are collapsing
Plant my feet and bitterly breathe
Up the time that's passing
Breath I'll take and breath I'll give
Pray the day's not poison
Stand among the ones that live
In lonely indecision


Fingers walk the darkness down
Mind is on the midnight
Gather up the gold you've found
You fool it's only moonlight
And if you stop to take it home
Your hands will turn to butter
Better leave this dream alone
Try to find another


Salvation sat and crossed herself
And called the devil partner
Wisdom burned upon a shelf
Who'll **** the raging cancer
Seal the river at it's mouth
Take the water prisoner
Fill the sky with screams and cries
Bathe in fiery answers


Jesus was an only son
And love his only concept
Strangers cry in foreign tongues
And ***** up the doorstep
And I for one and you for two
Ain't got the time for outside
Keep your injured looks to you
We'll tell the world that we tried

There are angels
where are angels
are there angels
where you are
angels there are
angels where are
angels there you
are an angel
everywhere there
are angels where
you are my
angel everywhere

There above his shiny baldy head,
a long and winding comb-over,
is it white, orange or red?

A cap is perched with Krazy Glue
to keep it in its place,
or is it there to keep his head
from floating into space?

He spews blither blather
and trumpets nonsense
to wild applause
and cheer

at a raucous party
where tea is spiked
with fear

The vintage patina
of green verdigris
melts from her eyes

and turns to brown
as salty tears are shed
like streaks of rain
from darkened skies

No room here for
the tired
the poor
the huddled masses

yearning to breathe free

as bricks build walls
to shut out refugees
and armor borders
that extinguish

what once was
liberty

I am a son of Eden
before the slaying of
brother by brother

And have let go
the arms of our
father and mother

I walk among
the beasts of the field
and the fruit of the ground

With only my will to follow
I take each step
toward my place
and my peace

Whether I lay
here or finally
in the East

What value is there
in a promise
fulfilled with ease

Compared to one
that finds its way
to you in shreds
on hands and knees

X and Y and Z
are spatial coordinates
in Three Dimensions

T is a point
in time --
the Fourth Dimension

S is speed
from one point
in time
to another --
the Fifth Dimension

I Will have my cornflakes
and eat them with a fork

so I can save the milk for last

and sometimes there are berries
and sometimes there is jam

When I give thanks
today
tomorrow
and yesterday

I look out my window
at the clear blue sky
and the autumn leaves
and my neighbors
strolling by

And I step outside
to join them
and the birds
singing in the trees

The Center
of the Universe
is no longer there

It blew up
a long time ago

When last we danced
in dark of night,
no moon, no stars
no other light

Than your eyes
to catch my own


When last we walked
along the shore,
no earth, no sun
and nothing more

Than your hand
to catch my own


When last we lay
upon the ground,
no laugh, no cry
no other sound

Than the whisper
of your heart

To catch my own

Fixed fortifications
are monuments

to the stupidity of man.

He wore people
like tattoos
acquired over time
in both public
and private places

beginning with
the rub-on kind
that are cool and
breezy easy
until they rub off

and then the
colors of his crew
stuck deep into his
skin with toxic
overflow that spills
into his veins

His arms were filled
with symbolic power
that reigned on sleeveless
days but sought shelter'
in the blankets of cold
sleepless nights

and on his chest were
memories of loves
gained and lost
revealed only in
naked truthful
moments

some still pristine
others fading
but cherished
unlike the ravaged
scars of those
ripped or torn away

And on his back
were those unseen
and few they were
but fewer still
were those he knew
who still remained

invisible to him
but there where
everyone else
could see

There are secrets in the wind
that runs its fingers
through your hair
tossing about a wild ballet
of unruly ripples and waves

It lifts homemade kites
from calloused hands
toward heaven, in leaps and loops
and crazy twirls that swoop the ground,
whispering to the grass
and shouting at the roaring sea

It caresses a warm breeze
in the cool twilight
of a lazy summer's eve
and unleashes fury
in chaotic rage
across the alleys
of midwestern plains

The wind listens
to the first cry of newborn babes
and carries away
the last breath of vanquished men

It fills the sky with unbound wonder
and settles in the leaves of ancient trees
that rock and sway to the rhythm
of its secret splendor

When I die
and am buried
in the ground

Don't cry
upon the site
where I am found

But mark my grave
with a familiar cheer

"I'd rather be sailing"

Remember all the joyful years
that we have shared

And know that when it is our time
I will be there

To venture past
horizon's end
with you

Once more.

Every day
is Father's Day
when his child
makes him more
than just a man

If I had all the time in the world,
I would accomplish amazing things.

I could climb Mount Everest
Many times,
Starting from my bedroom
And even in my sleep.

I could learn a hundred foreign languages
And make up a hundred more,
Or teach everyone to understand each other
No matter what words they hear.

I could build cities with vitality and care
For all people who live in them,
For a lifetime,
Or a day.

My deeds would be
Of biblical proportions,

Or better yet
Of astronomical dimension,

Or better yet
Of infinite importance,

Since I would have unlimited time
to venture past all boundaries

Beginning with my own

Even if I hadn't taken my first step
Until today.

Or better yet,
after my nap tomorrow.

When it is my time
I will sail away

at dawn
into a new day

A pebble
can take down
a Goliath

A rebel
can dethrone
a King

A willing mind
can conquer
Anything