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 Jun 2020 Shiv Pratap Pal
Abraham
When it's dark we go to see the plants
no one else knows they're there
in the window of the entrance way
bright Mexican display of
flowering hearts
that laugh and love
love and laugh
I've dreamed of showing you
since the night we danced.
 Jun 2020 Shiv Pratap Pal
Abraham
From this shore
here’s what’s mine -
a cloud
pulled across the sun
whisper in my ear
clean
emerging
wave
sleep pushed away
silence
the universe
pressed
hot, cold
mine to turn
examine
laugh
stay in
this moment
sky becomes
home.
 Jun 2020 Shiv Pratap Pal
Abraham
Alone
in the joy of struggle
a backpack
memories
home.
 Jun 2020 Shiv Pratap Pal
Abraham
Alan laughed through his cigar
released the bow string
the arrow shot into the clouds
and vanished.

Without surprise
he returned to the fire
letting the bow dangle
from his finger.

   The sound of water boiling reminded him
        of a morning in Berlin
the kitchen
      bread, cheese, jam
by the window
       Judith making coffee on the hob
patterns of blue wool
        about her waist.

Somehow coffee had always tasted like burnt almonds since
   though Miho sent him enough green tea from Japan
   to last several lifetimes.

Green tea in a green forest.
Alan shut his eyes, let the breeze touch his cheeks
and smiled.

“I’ve a question.”
“Yes?”
“Will you marry me?
“No.”
“Why not?”
“You’re too young. And I’m God.”
It's cloud's shapes
I am looking at
But, I cannot find you at all
Around where the path curves
Right along a garden
How sad love is
Yet, so out of reach
In this world
Of swirling daisies
And friendly flowers
Why is a rose so red
Why is the sky so white
I used to have a friend from
New York that was a lawyer, she once
dated a famous NBA star.
We drank ***** together.
She was a bit smug, but smart and
funny—a dangerous combination.

One evening, we decided to
go to a neighborhood grocer that
sold spirits and wine.
She had a black schipperke named
Bruno.
One drunken night I dubbed
him the Senator, after Ted Kennedy,
another smart and funny drunk.

We called a cab to get
more *****. I put Anna’s
Dolce and Gabbana sunglasses
on; I grabbed a broom handle and
hooked the Senator
up to his leash.
I said, “Look, look, I’m blind and Teddy is
my seeing eye dog.”
Anna laughed and said,
“Oh we must bring him along.”
She used the word, “must” a lot.
The cab pulled up and the
act began.

I worked the cane, and the dog out the
door, with those big white
sunglasses covering my eyes.
We piled in the cab,
and
tore off into
the sweltering July night.
We pulled into the
grocery store parking lot
Anna told the cabbie to wait.
She was beat red and big tears of
joy flowed freely down her face.
I grabbed her arm and said,
“Quit laughing, or they’ll think it’s a joke;
I’m ******* blind; it isn’t supposed to be funny.”
She laughed harder.

We walk through the sliding doors,
I’m waving the broom handle back and forth on
the floor.
The Senator immediately proceeds to
**** on a display case of crackers.
Anna cackles,
we walk on like we didn’t just see Ted’s
indiscretions. We headed for
the *****.
Anna yells, “Did you see what the
Senator did back there?”
I say, “Of course I didn’t see it honey,
I’m blind, what did he do.”
She screamed, “He ****** all over that display case.”
"I know, I know—let’s get the
***** and get the hell out of
here before they kick us out.”
Just then, the Senator slipped out
of his collar and began to
run up and down the aisles.
I chased him, he dodged me.
Anna tripped and fell, she laughed until
she wet herself.
That ******* dog had
more moves than an NFL running back.
I finally cornered him by the
milk and butter section; I reached down to
grab him, and the little
******* bit me.
I smacked his nose and said,
“Bad Dog—Bad, Bad Dog.”
He bit me again.
I finally had him in my arms;
by then, those ridiculous looking
sunglasses were on top of
my head.
I lost the broomstick, and dragged the leash and
collar behind me.
We made it to Anna’s and drank into the
night. Most poets wouldn’t know how to end
a poem like this
but I do,
bow wow.
Crazy times.  I read this to my blind nephew and he laughed his *** off.
It hard to be patriotic
While most of our rulers are psychotic
All their crazy has no end
They lock up the poor
Whenever they can

I won't salute their blood stained flag
Nor bow to their angry gods
I'll take a knee with Kaepernick
Now that's a worthy cause!

The lesser evil can fight it out among their selves
Dark money and propaganda are proportionate of their wealth
Corporations of greed destroying our precious planet
A war machine that kills millions to survive
Shall we just take all this for granted?
Our one percent are out of control and underhanded

Standby for a wave of american immigrants
Coming to your shores
"cause it's getting hard to be patriotic anymore.
Traveler Tim
There are no more made memories
without you babe
No more tasting sweet afterthoughs that you leave between the sheets
without your love babe
There are no fusion fast hugs
that last a half-life long
without all of you babe
No globe of enduring form
to my flat earth existence
No soul to my soil where once the fuse of love exploded . . .
without you babe
There is only the whole Earth embrace of the emptiness of my universe
without any stars . . .
without you babe
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