A spinning mind , lying in wait
like a remorseless assassin
Taking my wide expanse of natural -
pleasure , reducing it to one small -
ant exploring a stepping stone , a drop -
of rain squeezed from an otherwise benign cloud , poetic fervor into pathetic doubt
No song banter on depression mornings
Black and white stupor , life turned boring
Cumulative poisoned psychology , could anyone find the color in my -wretched dichotomy* ...

Odonata , your timing is impeccable
Gracing my window with colorful perfection
Restoring my faith in the human condition
Chasing the Hummers with buzzing emotion
Doubling back to start as if your craving my devotion
Bluedart Skimmer it's getting late , return to your
abode along placid Port Lake
Lie still beside shore with the departure of day and
thank you once again for your enchanting ways* ....

Choosing the path of least resistance , commanding the stormy sky of night
Coriolis's daughter at the curve of
the Earth , spinning magnetic time
from the center of mankind's turbulent
world* ......

The 'plant' that feeds the town
The one that occasionally chokes the air when the wind
blows in from the South
The one that some residents mouth
off about , the ones with position
and clout , in the name of their
environmental vows
A closing that will turn the town to dust
Cause our children to go hungry
Render families indigent , Mobile homes left to rust
A city square left to the pigeons , family owned small business
going under with devilish precision
That **** plant you speak about is
the same one that we can't live without* ...
.....

Close your eyes , muffle your ears and your one
true companion will soon appear ....

Walked into Red Lobster
for a bite , took a bench waiting
for a friend
Turned to the right and came face to face
with my kindred spirit , it's only form
of self defense rendered useless with blue
strapping , waiting on someone fortunate
enough to spend thirty dollars on lunch
In the name of the bourgeois I chose
a Caesar Salad and water for brunch* ...

He appeared alone
Timid and confused by acts -
of basic civility
Wide blue eyes , bearing a -
tethered , frozen frown
Gripping a walker tightly ,
he began to blend into the -
morning crowd , waiting -
for his last name to be called out loud

Everyone continued to laugh at me
There was no place to hide with no way to leave
the "protected environment"
I prayed that the Principal , the Teacher and
the instigators would die
To this day I wonder if my supplications
were ever applied* .....

Blistering asphalt , chemical burnt
eyes with two tiny clouds in the Northern
sky
A hundred degrees on a concrete island
with choking exhaust , hoping not to get rammed
by hurried people that really don't give a ****
Rushing with debit cards to grab whatever
the robots are pushing at the local 'bazaar'
Picking through cans , trolling vegetables
Sparrows have made their way in to watch
We must look quite 'bizarre' indeed* ....

Candy apples are the stuff of fairy tales sold by Carnival barkers in pin striped coat -tails , for artist dreaming out loud , for Kings and Queens with simple Honeysuckle Crowns
To first time lovers that nervously hold hands , to zany conductors striking up the band
The flavor inviting calliope music on Riverboats Sundays , Saturday mornings at the Zoo ,  laughing at the Monkeys* ......

Border my final dwelling with -
sturdy Pecan giants , centurion -
Oaks surrounded by May Corn ,
granite stepping stones shaded -
with Box Elder grace and Spring Magnolia -
fragrance* ....

Ink runs on the page of another -
rainy , paper day
A poet's keen thought yearning for publicity , -
left to wash away*...

Alone with the Moon on a Saturday -
night
A porcelain mug with a peppermint tea -
and silver spoon to pass the time
I made a pact with a long lost friend ,
to catch up again on a warm July twilight ,
with the Summer star treasure trove of -
dreams , my old friend the Little Dipper
and I , reconnecting on a wonderful ride
towards the Dawn in some celestial rite* ..

Blue day reflections held in -
the eyes of Appaloosa sentries
Shorebirds marshaling before -
crystalline waterways at the -
prequel of day
The voice of the Atlantic called -
inland
Maritime winds seek their resolution -
with salted determination* ...

Sing to the hour fastidious , bright Cardinal
Lend thirsted ears a melody infused memory of Live Oak shady afternoons , fresh cut meadows bordering the sun kissed -
homestead approach*..

Cottony banks dot madder blue afternoon sky as every precious second of a Summer day expires
Pine rosin clings to these worn out boots as I leave established trails , receiving the optical life-force of the Georgia woodlands from my personal , unique vantage
Granite outcroppings teem with the answer of life , off through the wildflower valley , forging clear brooks in sweet musical cadence , awaiting the cool introspection of twilight*...

Rabbit tobacco is for smoking -
like Hereford bulls are for riding
Politicians stick to their promises -
like cheap paint on 'weathered wood siding*'

Voices in the 'Cranberry Dusk' , artistic imaginations found on watercolor
to tablet paper mediums , God has eavesdropped
on a child's prowess once again this evening* ...

Old barns with 'See Rock City' painted
on clapboard sides
'White washed' antique 'Smokehouses' with hand dug Water-wells are monuments celebrating another time
Pole barns with RC Cola thermometers -
and Red Man chewing tobacco signs , tin -
roofs and dirt floors with hay lofts and -
old John Deere tractors inside

In the wee hour of morn I find myself
beginning to 'break'
Mind feverishly trying to escape the
chain of flesh , as if sanity were being
tested , creativity divested
Seven notes are typically not enough , twenty six
symbols in myriad groupings , white
noise confusion , in control illusions
A dump truck filled with crush and run -
dripping water on a lonesome road
Crumbling walls laden with Block Mason -
indiscretions vying for a sin removing -
coat of cheap paint
A telephone pole supported by wiring swinging
in midair , drunk on depression pills catching
my gaze in cheap artwork , narcoleptic days
Clabbered milk thrown to the hogs , nightmare
K-9 dogs unable to be explained
My friend the wind at the window with no one to play
Bright eyes refuse to focus when the child forgets their way

******* Jacks and Nu-Grape soda -
beneath a rain protected Willow Tree
The rush of water running down Empire Boulevard
Steam coming off the front yard
Waiting for the Sun but the storm set in
Heat lightning lit the night till I was called -
to bed , the day quietly came to an end
Cicadas and occasional automobiles ,
tree frog voices with yellow porch lights
My silhouetted Willow escape waiting for the -
morrow* ....

Kelleytown's lowlands are steaming
from thirty second showers on the
hour , enough to settle the dust but
ne'er even close to removing this flannel
shirt protecting my hide from a Sun
way high , picking okra growing larger by
the minute fighting thick air and heat
bad enough to cook an egg outdoors on
a flat iron skillet
Wasp working the tops , 'Skeeters' down low
Pod rash running up both wrist with ten more
rows to go* ....

Painted turtles sunbathe the muddy waters of Towaliga Creek , 'Flathead Cat' roll it's mysterious surface in the devilish heat
Summertime Carp confused in the stagnant , turbid abyss appear prior to sunset , Blue Heron and raptors of every lineage pay homage to 'Creek Hunter' kindred spirits
Bass explode in the Cattail brush , Pileated Woodpeckers tap adieu to the Katydid chorus
Brown Owls call downstream in the night music symphony
Instruments that sound with increasing intensity

Let love calibrate change
May understanding rule the day , providing sanctuary for the
downtrodden , insuring that nary one traveller thirsting for righteousness should lose their way* ..

Tiered , golden , pink-indigo skyway vignette
Breathtaking .. Overwhelming at the drafty weather division where placidity and squall collide
The majestic transfer of power before my very eyes
A soliloquy before archangels in the -
shroud of twilight*...

Just as water is called to the impatient -
shore the cycle of Kings and 'The Governed'
shall play out forever more* ...

Yellow Jonquils pose with pink Begonias
Songs from the canopy , cattle calling
clover fields , the hum of Wild Locust along
back country alleys , engulfed in Summer ambrosia
beside a quiet stream
In deep retrospection , praying for a connection
A psalm for Nice , Dallas and Baton Rouge
An hour of silence for the world too* ......

What emotion will fill the vacuum -
of revolution
Who will take charge of the -
institutions
How will time modify our Constitution

A blistering , tense July -
as the view begins to 'silver'
Excitement builds in the dancing -
trees , petrichor fills the Western -
breeze
Robins bound from tree to ground
Insects at the will of life's current -
are rushed eastbound at the 'Lightnings
Command'
The mercy of 'Michael' is now at hand
Half dollar sized drops of rain begin to fall
'The Summer War of the Piedmont' has officially begun* ...

Many thanks to the Black Swallowtail
that flew my way , unlocking needed creativity
on a vivid , picturesque Summer day* ...

Eating grape jelly straight out of the pack
Dousing a cigarette into uneaten grits
Chugging cold coffee with my mind on the TV talking about government like I really give a **** , my right hand on Winston's , my left covering tired eyes , my newfound gaze on that chick pumping gas across the street on good old pump number nine
Waffle House is killing all these losers a little
each time
Obese , short of breath , ******* a little before
six , waiting on that morning waffle , chicken
and eggs with hash browns scattered , smothered
and covered with raisin bread and grits once again* ..

Healthy bites off of crisp , backyard apples
Lawn chair Saturdays with October songbird
idle chatter
Morning lost with the over fifty aged hope of afternoon once again
Indecision characterizes the young at times , thinking -
out loud , showing distress , eaten by their peers -
one day then running with the pack the next
A good rocker while alone will do just fine
A good white wine with apples on the side* ....

Hot black tea you've great power to soothe me , making the day amusing
Nursing a cup with both hands , entertaining great plans
Closing the door on the disagreeable , making life quite simple* ...

Hoisting three stone over -
a deteriorating shoulder
Hammering for gold amongst -
the boulders
Water lashing the bank , diamonds
are seen throwing painted reflections
A yellowed , cryptic , daily manuscript
lacking revelation* ...

Writing my name into the night -
with a 'fat doobie'
Strumming a brick red Applause guitar -
beneath the weekend stars , perched on the hood
of a beat up but paid for car
Every song and view an original
Time inexpensive , conformity a joke
Young freedom cherished with every ***** ...

A nighttime trek in a '63 Ford Falcon
Following UFO's in the Summer sky
Connecting stars with sleepy brown eyes
Longing for the lights of Atlanta ,
lost in AM radio
Streetlights flickering , exhaustion lingering
with boyish , twilight trickery* ...

A glance across the wild berry field
Wherein structure and nurture lie ,
hungry eyes filled by quiet normalcy
Independent thought untested , anxiety
bare rested , Mourning Dove and songbird
of every shape , color and form
At peace* ......

My shade of blue is unlike yours ...
I remember differently as we walk down the same
country lane , process my pain in a private way
I watch for Bluebirds while you seek the Raven ,
pray for safe haven as you row the turbid ocean
Express myself openly while you hide in blanketed
angry emotion
Pining for sunlit deliverance while you castigate
the God given day
Catch my breath in gratitude while you begrudgingly
walk away* ....

Click click goes the clique , smiting with rhyme , explaining their writes , begging for likes , appearing quite trite , disrupting poetic vibe with all their might
A dis' to the calculating , hypographically -
challenged who sow disfunction for lack -
of inspiration* ....

Content on Peppermint Island ...
Where dark blue , liquid candy seas support
divinity boats , a winking Sun with
a bubblegum tug bringing caramel
popcorn to port
Dragonflies and hummingbirds dancing
figure-eights
Smiling Palm trees laden with coconut
bars tower o'er Xanadu village filled with content -
townsfolk and Kool-Aid Lakes
Where acoustic guitars grow on trees in the Gardenia
filled wind
Where the town bells chime songs of love
Morning , Noon and evening* ....

Red-bud November window lover adorned with passionate , calling , colorful exhibitions
Walking hand in hand with a captive son to the song of Fall* ...

Riparian whippoorwills became martyrs to the crystalline
lakeside at Dawn
My reflection grew long in placid waters
Nellie sunshine forsook the chill of morning
I became an artist without need of brush or manmade color
Painting the precipice of Heaven with each determined view*....

If your protesting violence with violent action
your spinning your wheels with no hope of traction

Every critical Summer nuance , crayfish and mossy thicket in utter congruence , peach , marigold waning sunlight in tune with her thick , olive riverside confluence
Famished Rock Bass break the surface calm as -
thoughts of boyhood balm and resolve
Blue darters skim the Pine shadowed eddies
Alpha starlight sending eventide messages

Pepsi colas cooling in the well
The perfumed smell of first cut hay
Life's peeks and valleys , days were made easy -
in a piedmont shady dale* ....

A shot or two of Cinnamon Whiskey and sometimes
a third can enlighten the view of a
cold , hard world
The steady beat of a Maple rocker with a
chaw of Bloodhound tobacco stokes a fire
in the very soul of this ******* of bones
The night songs of Tree frogs and field crickets
Evening snacks of 'Red hots' and biscuits
Wild blackberry and Turkey fig jelly ,
'White Dirt' once a year and sweet 'Rock candy'* ...

Hot tea and black clouds keep creativity
from spilling into space , stormy writes -
with anti-social vibes on the clockwork rat race
I can hear the highway laden with heavy loads
The five o'clock monkey circus for precious home
We're all dying to get there no matter -
where we are
Rushing for something more
Bound for the unknown
We recall the song while ambivalent to the -
individual tones
Like the thunder from a passing July cloudburst
The first note of your favorite tune
The rattle of wind chimes in the misty afternoon
The crescendo of rubber meeting water on the
busy avenue* ....

Listening to the Cardboard Empire with -
gray day rain pools , shadow figurine -
ancestors trapped in dusky tree lines
Irreverent city banter , ideals shifting
right of center , selfish , twelve coated
worthless brick entities
Working the wishing well for pennies
Finding home with a cart
Walking back to start* ......

Attacking the blaze with a 'Texaco Fire Truck'
Tonka Tractors with plastic Soldiers on guard
Hippie high schoolers heading for home with -
Creedence Clearwater Revival on their car radios
Running through Da Nang with a stick , drinking Tang
with my heroes , adjusting the rabbit ears for Captain
Kangaroo* ...

Commanding the 'Crows Nest' in search of submarines on Panama City Beach
Our curiosity in real time demand , blanket oceanside Admiralty
Mariners were towing the ocean yachts into portland that day
Tales of Neptune , ambergris , running *** and rough sail
Riding the easterlies , filling our shell pails                                                        
A prize for gifted imaginations indeed , sand dollars and -
cirrus clouds above the warm turquoise Sea* .....