death of youthful exuberance
as the last nine are pulled from their homes
torn asunder
as if they never had usefulness
or gleam –
broken and battered
abused and neglected
safety pins, paper clips
left over bristles from a
rusted street sweeper
all valid implements
tools of the trade –
traded pearly whites
for plastic composite
in a vain attempt
to smile freely
eat peacefully
live normally –

elegant escapades
everglade excursion
elevating emotions
enchanted evenings
egrets and ermine –
elated elephants encircle
eucalyptus
entering estrus –
evangelical elders
each embedded
even the entrenched
earn ecstatic event entrees
eat and expand
enjoy
experience –
explorers explode
expanding energy
engraving
extra’s
expertly
eloquently –

battling demons
or suffering PTSD
with ADHD
and OCD
on TCH
looking for LSD –
need a little TLC
from the FDA
the EPA
just went MIA
and the UN
blames the FBI
while the CIA
and the NSA
seek the PLO –
brb
LOL, IDK
the shizzle is cray cray
*****’s be trippin
er’ry day
like Ross say
“don’t **** wit me” –
the USA
in betrothed to the NRA
and OSHA
just gave me a passing score
at the same time as the AMA
failed my blood
stylistically, this is MLA
and functionally it’s more WWE
TNT
CNN
t’n’a --

tired liar, uninspired
wire-rider
biting fire
un-learned burn-out
doubting the clout, pouting
routing trout
without
nets
regrets beset
vetted pets
wet with fret
filleted
displaying range
grange hall dancers manage
manic prancing horses
trotting in the allotted plot
sought, bought
caught in the cot
as the hot won’t stop
relentlessly attacking my inspiration
leaving me only with **** like
this

twisted acids building sick
ten hour internal processers
wore and frayed
spilling refuse
leaking bacterial microbes
feeding diseased cells
revitalizing decomposition
foreign substance discovering pleasant surroundings
calling for manifest destiny
and the claiming of new regions in the name of an unseen king
wave after wave of intruders build homes
spread culture
influence the overall society
engage the natives
become allies
all the while undermining the land itself

hard-liner approach
half-dead dog
next to a pile of ****
brand new carpet
ruined
bloodied fists still clenched
ache for a new target
something to blame
someone to hurt –
broken tooth tells a tale
of drunken brawling
for the honor of a **** head *****
******* **** for bus fare
in the warm glow of the downtown public restroom –
fluorescents flicker
peeling paint, discolored
stains, upon grime, atop rust and smoke damage
*** sprinkled toilet seat
draped with pale skin and *****
guilt is worse than food poisoning
in the cold hours of the pre-dawn
cool refreshing porcelain
giving pause to a pounding head
momentary reprieve
single drip of sweat travels the long journey
along a stubbed jaw line –
sickened by the visual
moments pass as the scene is etched
mind’s eye holding the image
forgoing the polaroid
sending it straight to the long-term banks
so for all my life
I can look back in clarity
at my shortcomings
and failings as a human –

Hold it!
whole ***
whale fitting
room
bowing walls
expanding spandex
seams stretched  out of shape
lurid –
disturbed images play across the screen
biggest loser season MCMXVII
American dream with heavy cream
and spleenwiches
cleaning the crumbs,
bums long for an extra morsel
gnawing on dorsal fins
grinning, toothless, at least they have their figures
that figures says the emaciated diet queen
leave it to the homeless to be the only group
worthy of the runway –
starvation date
only the grumbling cuts the uncomfortable silence
empty bellies howl for nourishment
instead are fed meds and red licorice
which is immediately vomited
for fear of caloric inconsistency –
breathing adds blubber
to thighs and midriffs
marital spiff over the last cookie
sugar substitutes
substituting themselves for love and compassion
lashing out at the one above
fat girls with teary eyes cry
for just five more pounds
the dress fit in 1978 –

soft-bodied succulents
dutifully separating the perennials
organization crisis, preservative induced
chemically altered worldview
shaped largely by food reconstructed
and the public’s inability to unite against imperialism –
daily newscasts give rise to propaganda
water-cooler hype fest
breaking information
leading with bleeding
enveloping the country in irrational fear
unsafe, even with children
constant threat from every direction
insanity has become the home
of Ward and June Cleaver –
glowing exhaust pipe
as all roads lead back
beginnings resemble endings
all things circular
revolving Revolutionary revolted
remembers regurgitating rancid raspberries
aluminum spray from the sky
coated pesticide residue from below
only the hate left is organic
and pure –
immeasurable, time slides away
plastic incorporated into new organisms
freshly evolved bacteria eat the remains
of humanity and its greatness
traceless epoch forever eroded
undiscovered pockets of micro cilium
dine on the fat reserves
stored in the soil
like oil –
returning gods survey creation version Earth
emotionless and stationary
the process is repeated
as it has been for billions of years
single manipulation
recoding the genetic structure
life begins this journey
one more time –

new green girls dot the field
expanding in the early summer
pushing nodes
creating medicine
simplicity of farm life
sprinkled with the excitement of a federal raid
magic numbers add to the flavor
rural doctor without the credentials
curing cancer
with extract
and love
revolutionary movement based on independence
flag waving in the smoke
besides, G.W. grew it –
stretching, bending, feeding
caring for
paying attention to
too
sharing energy with the future of medicine
which happens to share the past
with humanity
naturally healing
with help –
her glow is back
and the fight in her eyes shines again
remission
blessed bush bringing my mother back from the brink
with minimal processing –

perfunctory actions
zombie habits
sheep normalcy
blindly following the cud chewers
lemmings fall to their deaths
slowly
genetically engineered crops
dusted with pharmaceutical poison
laced with irradiated petroleum pesticides
fed to the babies of the poor –
wealthy voyeurs eagerly tune-in
as the impoverished masses rot
for viewing pleasure
leisurely strolling across manicured lawns
those in power scoff at the growing spectacle
unaware that the cake is stale
and the masses smell blood –
hurriedly, accountants shuffle tax rates
mix those with interest credit
season it with mortgage fees
and serve it on wall street
place mats
taking stock of stock market gains
gamblers do double gainers off high rises
adding to the flesh being consumed by the under class
under classed –
underclassmen, underpaid, stretch under ware elastic
as waistlines expand with the debt ceiling
both symbolizing the slow decline of
the American dream
screaming into the sewer
fewer eyes look back as disease dulls the iris
loss of the inner shine
glowing reflection of living organisms
fading as the day
slips into the blue-black –
night falls on a nation of imbeciles
brain dead patients
broken by depression and weight-loss scams
hearts crying out for care
personal and compassionate
instead are met with sterile robotics
and sanitary “C” students dressed in white
fearful of lawsuits
and spiders
they prescribe to symptoms
without knowing insurance number 87319A23-S1
is a human being, just like them
also living in fear
of the same establishment –

stepping into a whole new light
fist fight upright
she outta site and feeling alright
can’t stay tight
spotlight on the ignite
bic flicks tipping the scene
its that stinky green
makin’ muthafukkers obscene
but not me
chill to the scope
I cope on dope
roping honeys with wit and class
passing trash
looking through the glass
mass media flash
*****, I make all the cash
share it with my partners
stash it in the pick-up truck
dumb luck makes those monkeys stuck
playing that same ole game, ****
trying to hustle the buck
******* the muck
too dumb to duck
two to the socket check the pockets
hit the rocket one more time
get that mind right
got it locked down
pistol cocked, dogs drown
***** docked on my ****
slurping sound
surrounded, lights flash
cheese slice
trying to take the party down
rollin dice
wearing ice
that rat will suffice
twice
libido out of hand
****** gave me lice
but not my head
happened in the bed
room, *****

overgrown logging road
clumpy grass hiding gravel pathways
and crushed rock culverts
soft mosses in shady patches
allow momentary peace
for worn shoes and blistered feet
hiking to the summit
seeking serenity –
silent horizon sits to the left
mocking the dust
as the evening sun dips
in a steady display of grandiose
color melding
splashing across the western Oregon skies –
pattering of fluffy rabbits in the underbrush
followed by the far off whistle of a bull elk
chickadee’s flutter and sing
as I quietly experience the forest
in all is undisturbed glory –
flash catches my eye
drawing me back to the present moment
four-point in velvet sizes me up
snorting unease
showing interest
as ears twitch
matching a wet black nose
lifetimes pass as we
caught in each other’s gaze
contemplate the moment
one with nature achieved –
in an instant
muscles coil and legs spring forth
majesty crashes
through ferns and yearling maples
covered by a canopy of hundred year old fir trees
wiping sweat from my brow
and a tear from my eye
I continue down the old mountain road
wondering who will share my space next –

typewriter rhythm
clacking away new beats
tempo exchanges
computer lab concerto
fair-weather phonetics
hunt and peck symphony
symbolic of the system
poking at inmates
pecking at the enforcers
attempting to gain an education --
floating above the ruckus
offering research aid
I sit at the desk seeking only to enlighten
service work for those
suffering servitude
serfdom
post-modern slavery
complete with subsidies
scamming the con-men --
white house looks best
through prison barred windows

meaningless application
blowing in warm summer breezes
flittering to and fro
as the updrafts interact with rotating currents
creating a moment
encompassed
in the instantaneous now
that never lingers
but can only be remembered
his words live there too
floating forever in the blurry past
fading into the background of time
yet, never completely leaving
consciousness
incoherent ramblings slide away
as eternity and infinity combine
and just as instantly
dissipate
tracers trail into the distance
expanding and contracting
with my breathing
long slow exhale as I try again to forget
dying words of wisdom
passing fancies
frozen stare of a dead icon
troubled, watery eyes seek refuge
in washed-out seascapes
and smudged portraits
faceless
lifeless
without movement
or
joy

Swaying bamboo shoot
Her hair too moved by the breeze
Inspires my verse

distant foothills in the pre-dawn haze
draw my memories back to youthful exuberance
pond fishing under clear sky
creak tromping in the search of the perfect agate
pockets full of jasper and quartz
as if pebbles were treasure
pleasurable day-dream
measure of peace –
wafting peppermint
transports me to a snow covered logging road
schnapps and a trap line
bobcats lured with carcasses tied to trees
scent jar in a vest pocket
and a 22 ruger on the hip
smooth clean strokes
hide on the shoulder
another carcass in a tree rinse and repeat –
long barren abandon railroad
lacking ties
lies
cinder rock sunbaked
sage and Juniper
mule deer and pronghorn
lonely cottontail narrowing avoiding
hungry coyote gaze
sunsets cast purple shadows
orange and pink streaks stretch the horizon
flat backed in green grass
smiling into infinity

melodic memories momentarily move me
gently swaying to inconceivable beats
imperceptibly
feeling the motion
insides swim
cool breeze moves conditioned hair
Sid Barret beckons me down untraveled hiways
grass littered
rabbits dash
washed out sun fades to white light
surrounded
Morrsion, drunk, leans over as if to whisper
but only soft ghostly lips breathe warm air
against disturbed skin
red and swollen—
silver flash across the sky opens a flood of possibilities
fixated, I stare into the blue
seeking connections
a sense of belonging
to be a part of
universal love
truth
understanding –
shadow slips quietly into the fold
expressing want and discontent
stringing doubt through prairies of hopeful exuberance
sobbing children who have forgotten the joys of fresh cut grass
hold their heads in their hands
partly to hide from the lies
perpetuated by the indoctrination machine—
a low hum begins to grow
rumbling
shaking foundations and creating pause
eyes dart, worried
was the elder Zappa right?
broken records skip
and a toe taps absentmindedly --

upbeat chatter fills the computer lab
four story walk up, prison education floor
drab desk oversees outdated clients
slowly loading software
older than some of the inmates
attempting to facilitate learning
on canteen day
with call-outs for visitation
sick leave
cell-ins
bad attitude is the tone of the day
while I sit representing
the “what if”
a symbol for all those who would strive to be better
the station risers
busting the status quo into tiny hypocritical shards
used to metaphorically shank their past
and be new
fresh into a world that condemns them
turning a blind eye to the progress and prospect
recreating criminal thinking
altering recidivism rates
negatively

rocket ship day-dream
believing in pollution free exhaust
perfect white billows
against azure a.m. skies
windshield bug, ride of its life
Jell-O plunge into the unknown
soft and gooey mashed potatoes
swallow my space submarine
cradled in eternity
alien architecture flashes by melting windows
escaped light blinds me
atoms separate slow-motion
like stop-footage of decomposing fruit
double-bass heart beat
as God’s eye looks down
recognizing self

embattled researcher
mad-scientist hair-do
lot 47591-03F4 is not reacting as hypothesized
drawing board black hole ***** more life
from chalk caked fingernails
as the streets flow red with blood of the infected masses –
radiation poisoning runs rampant
across the northern hemisphere
undetected
slaying the unsuspecting
no one is protected
deflecting these thoughts he scratches a head
thin on hair, but long on freckles –
shadowy figure of death looms in the corner of every dream
creating a dependence on methamphetamine
which alters clear thinking
breeding ground of alternative ideas
half-crazed notions of grandeur and  prominence
as soon as the world is saved –