these rivers
are my blood
rhythmically pulsing
with the heartbeat
of winter’s inertia
and summer’s energy
an eternal throbbing

these mountains
are my body
growing but decaying
covered with life
but filled with death
for in the circle of nature
all things must eat

these winds
are my breath
created but creating
building and eroding
uncovering and burying
an inhaled exhalation
reverberation

these skies
are my mind
blowing and still
overcast and clear
the keeper of the stars
the ocean of the sun
the day-dreamer’s canvas

this place is in me
and i am in this place
and in this place
i am born again
and together
we are one again
tat tvam asi

blood-twig dogwoods
howl at the blue moon
while hollow-eyed susans
dance on chinook winds

pale purple monkshood
death-rite prayer chants
are swallowed whole by
yellow-throat daylily laughter

the good-news sunflower
tries to misremember the
night-shaded moonflowers that
bind her gospel to the earth

morning glory intentions
are not what they seem
hearalded by down-turned
white-truth angel trumpets

the muted colors of the in-between world
that is november in my yellowstone home
feebly blanket the terrain in dull tones

new spires being born as cliff faces yield
blasted by gusts of super-volcanic sand
in winds that coat even the river in dust

four napping bison seem comfortably huge
their massive bodies mimic the mountains
revealing how this is truly their home

a bald eagle surveys from a split-rail fence
her mate above circling the trout-filled river
their intertwined lives proving love's depth

on dollippingtin’s fragglies
in briffelsy puff-tuft
all blashtered and baggsie
a glumpting was shand-cuffed

his flumper was sump-yunned
and when flayed o’er the shill
she snatchered the snubly
and waxered the wheel

and roiling and foiling
the glumpting did skyle
over the pull-say
and into the schmile

he de-ployed a ghastling
when she tripped a scripe lie
and he sarrowed the fragile
when she squatched like a flie

the glumpting was bashered
and turned the gaze mis-erly
mounsied the snubly
and roiled back to briffelsy

the moggetty corpsy was
blotted and ratten
and burbeling and gurbling
it sniffed like a trash-pan

the flumper lain deadsy
was found by the doll-po
and the glumpting was sentaxed
to scorpse in the prisco

morale of the taile:

if bashtered yourselves be
do not waxer the wheel
do not be a ghastling
just be a hap still

barren canyon
echo-haunted walls
thirsty sand-blown dust

skeletal branches
stripped of life
sloughing-bark itch

shriveled snakeskin
crackles in disintegration
snagged on ancient sagebrush

but when her teardrop falls
the love buried in his desert heart
springs to unquenchable life

i was born
a traveling man
on the shores
of a foreign land

i can see
the horizon
reaching out
to the sky

i can see
my horizon
stretching out
from my hands

i will die
a measly man
all I built
buried in sand

indistinctly
but continually
meeting
then parting
engaging and
retracting
embracing
but withdrawing

marry and divorce

ever present
but never noticed
pendulum's swing

walking after rain

believing in myself
believing i am good
being what a good
and worthy person should

believing in myself
believing what i do
when doing what i do
is good and worthy too

believing in myself
believing i am seeing
truth in my whole being
darkness ever fleeing

on a bright sunny day
in a wildflower meadow
near the mountain top
i fell into the chasm
that broke and split
me in two

in the dazzling sunlight
seated on a petal
of a long-stemmed beauty
the breeze whispered my name
and turning around
i found you

in the darkened recesses
of the innermost cavern
and under the trapdoor
hidden in the floor
of the bottomless pit
i found you

the silver side of the cloud
floats on the far side
remembering not the price it paid

the glory days are far behind
night life stretches out ahead
the path is felt not being seen

the witness ran away
the judge's mind is blind
the jury is ripe with enemies

and yet

there is a home for you
in my stillborn heart
submerged in the warmest blood

ebony nocturne charcoal cathedral
lunar vivified névé snow glow
celestial entity diamond light show

the rhythm, melody and lyrics
of my ancestral birthright
echo through the emptiness

the old songs resonate as
a choir of blood sings
vibrating the threads
that are woven into the tapestry
of all that i am by the lives of
my mothers and fathers
connecting me to them
with an untearable fabric

and as my thread
weaves in and out
i appear, disappear and reappear
travelling through family cloth
on the songs of those
that have gone before

and i fear none
as we all sing our song
to the tempo of the sands of time
as they fall into the future

deep within her soul
behind a keyless door
sleeps a dancer who flows freely
with the staccato rhythms of life
and that with her fluid motions
creates a shining world of love

but now the goddess sleeps peacefully
hibernating in enchanted lullabies
while shes lays dormant deep within
until her chamber door is opened
and she bursts into radiant life
finally escaping her prison of fear

the anchor
of my
mind has

melted

released into
the swelling
tide

lifetime belief
world
comes in

in eyes
in hands
in ears
in nose

in mind

what if
world
goes out

mirror's reflection

mirror's projection

goes out
world
what if

out mind

out nose
out ears
out hands
out eyes

goes out
world
lifetime belief

textured like
velvety memory
tickling my skull
iridescent feathered mind
wafting ideas
delicious odorous ideas
ripe with potential
inviting starved nostrils
alluding hope
delivering naught

unfettered depths this ocean mind
****** by clouds and vaulted skies
the broken promise lies beneath
a thickened heap of ugly truth

the cold and unforgiving chide
the beautifully over blessed
they look to god as if to claim
their place among the best

the king of kings the emperor
has left the throne vacant
the driver's seat is purple stitched
and available for rent

but to occupy that lofty place
comes with the heavy price
of self deception corruption
and adoption of the vice

unwillingly it brought me here
then turned around and ran
and left me here beside myself
without a map or travel plan

defeating the lion, he enters the gate
and upon reaching the tree
the serpent swallows the apple

with whispering eyes he speaks -
"fear not" as the feathers sprout
displacing glimmering scales

the earth-bound is released
strong wings lift the slithering skyward
his flat view of the world annihilated

ouroboros halos appear like shadows
forever attached but never owned
he sees the world  impaled on herself

and now, freed from eden
he enters the garden of the mother
and knows that he and she are one

the bitter fruit of the blessed tree
transformed the snake into an eagle
reborn, he sees the world anew

i am
but a memory
of who
i am
yet to be

living in the round
caused by an effect

walking from my grave
i age less and less

retirement moves toward
the middle years i missed

while working 60 hours
to barely pay the bills

youthful spirit sprints
my body in its prime

toward my younger years
learning all the while

then the teenage rebel
and the awkward tweener kid

a boy with every friend
curiosity without end

and i can ride my bike
clear across the town

and now i choose my clothes
just like a big boy can

and soon i will crawl
into my origin

and there i will wait
until i'm old again

inhaled by the moon
on a night before full
as gauzy ghost fingers
grip the violet night
almost as if they were clouds
glowing with bone-light moonbeams
softly drifting like gossamer owl wings
over aubergine skies pin-holed by planets
and speckled with only the brightest of stars

between stanza lines and
between line words and
between word letters and
between letter sounds
are found the
space and silence
that beget them all

page so white
it blinds the mind

peering into the void
seeing it empty so empty
too empty for thought

just start writing
something will flow
maybe write about
the inability to write

looking up
page suddenly full
ink everywhere
the void speaks again
it always does

the deepest truth lies
between the lines
of every sentance

the deepest beauty lies
between the colors
of every painting

the deepest reason lies
between the being
of something and nothing

the frightful night is ending
the dead fall back to sleep
their twisted faces holding
all the secrets that i keep

the dawning hour is near
the quickened feel its call
with brilliant minds unfolding
and deciphering the scrawl

of all the the fools gone past
that warned us of the terrors
that lurk beneath the surface
turning dreams into nightmares

for now i watch the clouds
the clouds of my demise
the things that i hate most
are my own honest lies

it's time to drop the curtain
on this round of suffering
it's time to open inward
and praise the holy queen

as she regains the throne
the empty throne of peace
and begins to bury hatred
inviting all into the feast

how long she'll reign is known
by sand and hour-shaped glass
and when the clock strikes nothing
you'll know she was typecast

the court is ever filled
with coyotes and dark clowns
the truer truth abandoned
and hidden from the hounds

the dreadful night is falling
the dead begin to wake
their twisting faces turning
toward our new heartache

adjourned mallard flock
madly silent flapping
v-formation missile

slippery light slicing
looking glass surface
liquid sun river

grassy hair tossing
tickling valley shoulders
loping floodplain floor

beyond river's snake
violety haze peaks
horizon's gravity tugs

even broken words
can point to the horizon
indicating the wholeness
of the swollen moon
as it hangs low and heavy
tumbling along in the
fullness of its cycle

even broken words
can point upward
indicating the infinite
in the cathedral skies
as translucent layers of
impossible number
and impossible shades of blue
together compose the deepest color
of the symphonic midday sky

even broken words
can heal

you formed near the center
and grew faster than expected
one among the many
unassuming but perfected

and as the heat arose
all you did was grow
until you could no longer
be held down so low

and when you finally broke free
as you are so inclined
you rushed toward the surface
leaving your whole world behind

swimming through the maze
of liquid and cookware
you quickly found the surface
and disappear into the air

the lifetime of a bubble
born in a boiling ***
begins and ends so quickly
it never gets a thought

look into the mirror
what is it that you see

beard's a little sparse
but hair is just right

right eyebrow needs a trim
but not a blemish in sight

ears are far from perfect
but body's ready to fight

or

gaze at the butterfly iris
and watch it never be still

look into the pupil
and feel a little chill

as i see the me that sees
the one that has free will

look into the mirror
what is it that you see

hateful floodgate opens
transgressions resurrected
impending failure thickens
all will be affected

blind to all but fault
swollen throbbing pride
withholding graceful mercy
none endure my chide

words divide asunder
biting truthful flow
searing core deep phrases
silver platter deadly blow

dust settles downward
precious love defiled
wasted vital resource
ego child beguiled

you are my moonlight
mysterious and alluring
through all of your phases

you are my melody
entrancing and unique
music woven into your rhythms

your beauty is fluid
an ever-changing constant
and ocean-deep elegance

there's a loathing inside
that i'm loath to admit
but as much as i hate it
i'd be remiss
to ignore and abhor
a piece of myself
until it screams out
in selfish affection
demanding attention
or at least an admission
of that part of me
that's in darkened remission
until the ripe time
it breaks free at last
destroying myself
and all in my path

sunlight smashes
back of my eye

lightning streaking
all that I see

channel circulating
river of pain

heartbeat throbbing
drumming my skull

senses dulling
words escape me

voice echoing
time for lights out

the way of beauty
is written in the sky
for all to read
with ink made
of sunset

the way of beauty
is recited each dawn
for all to hear
by warbling children
of the dawn's light

the way of beauty
is felt in each heart
and all can know
the shining diamond
the core of every soul

the way of beauty
the peaceful path
is open to all
surrender yourself
know who you are

the stress
of this thing
is heavy like a  
weighted blanket
casting blue shadows
across crispy kindling-dry
landscapes of the world's future
with a grey thunderhead towering
to the invisible foothills of olympus
miniaturizing all i've ever been
and all i could ever hope to be
while gut-churning claps of
deafening news follow the
terror-bright disease;
luminous arteries
that reach down
from heaven
to char the
earth

plague slop flows
along the curb
chamber *** disgrace

looking down
at blue hands
fingers interlaced

begging prayer
hopeless words
escaping frailty's lips

aching bones
crushing head
****** pressure slips

deadened ears
blackened heart
lungs full of foul air

feel the chill
damp and still
glazed and vacant stare

dreadful round
of recurrence
weary of the pain

when it ends
it begins
all over once again

i carry many telltale scars
but the deepest of them all
lies at my dead center
a permanent reminder of
the lost connection with
my mother

floating gossamer shimmers
on heavy sepulchre air
lying dormant in the dark
patiently hibernating in
long-suffering carnivorous wait

white spider-threads echo with
last breath wing-beats and
choking moth-wing dust flies
as they silently pronounce the
rhythm of the timeless dance

this one dies
that one lives
this one lives
that one dies
forever and ever and ever

the clouds sing in hushed tones
reverence for refracting
rainbow drops of light
when all is poetry

the river whispers praise
rounds the bend and pools
in silent blue-green depth
when all is poetry

the tree creaks quietly
jealous of the rushing wind's
uprooted flowing freedom
when all is poetry

the snowfall mutely patters
piling high as if to save itself
for approaching warmer days
when all is poetry

even death's fearful staring gaze
with its toothy jagged grin
somehow loses power
when all is poetry

and the miles of shattered dreams
are ground to glimmering dust
and sprinkled on broken hearts
when all is poetry

the world's many melodies
both dissonant and pure
make us what we are
when all is poetry

meet me in that place
where reality is dream
and poetry pervades
       where we touch without hands
       and see without eyes

meet me at that time
when life is only art
and music permeates
       when we dance without fear
       and sing without words

meet me then and there
where and when dissolve
and together we are light
       where our hearts beat as one
       when we share eternal breath

still, i stand still

history making
still, i stand still

untold years
thousands deep
still, i stand still

distant peaks
runoff snow
universal life-blood
still, i stand still

river bend
greening life
stampede muddy
valley floor
still, i stand still

hundreds flee
panicked hearts
shrieking predators
swift advance
sun-bleached skulls
but still, i stand still

heap of kin
dead and dying
trail of death
circling omens
battle wounded
facing demons
and still, i stand still

my kind ends
my home gone
tipped balance
lost race
drying tears
last breath drawn
sun is down
still, i lie still

early in the morning
with the world still lost in sleep
the stars told me a story
of a secret they can't keep

a young man lost his way
and walked into a forest
stumbled aimlessly for days
then found a cave to rest

when he awoke he found
while alone inside his cave
the forest disappeared
and now a field of graves

he rose from his tomb
and walked into the midst
a graven granite wasteland
enveloped in thick mist

he wandered there for years
searched for her resting place
and finding hallowed ground
with reverent lowered gaze

in sacrificial ritual
he opened his true self
bled tears upon her stone
and begged her for her help

his dying prayer was heard
by the sacred earth
she relayed to the stars
the story of his birth

he was a son of god
imprisoned in this land
and helpless wandering
was all that he did have

the stars were moved with pity
and upon him they bestowed
the knowledge of his origin
and all that he was owed

the old man raised his head
for the first time saw himself
and brave knight that he was
he walked with providence

he crossed the field of death
back to the darkened wood
lay in his lonely cave
to awaken in the world

i stumbled to the shower
and glancing in the mirror
i saw the fearless knight
in my eyes appear

obsessed with not obsessing
dressed for overdressing
caressed but not caressing
left without the lesson
speak without compassion
undress the latest fashion
a day in the life of my hero
mediocre is better than zero
better but not the best
wrestling with the rest
resting is on the wrist
trial of a tryst
miles and miles of smiles
shadows and sundials
believing without faith
waiting for the wraith
fallen without grace
place without a face

stay with me
i'm your escort
from the
void

stay with me
as i shed my
light
on
darkness

stay with me
as I coat your
soul
in
flesh

stay with me
as i print your
words
on
paper

stay with me
as I ****** you
from the
void

stay with me
now
oh words

oh words
do not retreat

we have forgotten
how small we really are
even though the simple sky
full of bright yet distant stars
would remind us every night
if we would just turn off the lights

we have forgotten
our true place on the earth
as the responsible care-takers
we weren't cast out of the garden
we left by our own free will and choice
neglecting important dependants
in our search for a better life

auburn sunlight filtering through morning fresh hair
heavenly glow reveals my love’s angelic undertones

intertwining braids of steam rise from dark roast
enchanting motes as they rise to join the warm dance

inspired warbling rises and falls reporting sparrow drama
cacophonous nonsensical song language now silent

straw dry grass **** carpeting compound slopes
winds of winter leaving desiccated shells of summer

children questioning endlessly classwork requirements
kitchen table homeroom littered with chromebooks and notebooks

how lucky can one man be

to find a glimmer of light
in this sea of
blackened thoughts
is like trying to find a torch
that is the treasure marked
with an X on a foreign map
written in an unknown tongue
in the middle of the thick darkness
known by subterranean dwellers

think happy thoughts
they say
keep a journal of gratitude
they say
focus on the positive
they say

they
have never experienced
the depth of hopelessness
found at the height of despair

hope's words soar to heaven's height
leaving much time for contemplation
during the silent fall to earth's reality

when one quietly walks the path
of wisdom and compassion
they scale the tallest mountain

when planted on the highest peak
the whole partake of both
heaven's height and earth's reality