Salvation ~ Saturday, July 30, 2022

It all falls apart when love goes south, we move on

try to forget years when things started, gathered speed

ask about the past, red wigglers kept in a can

left me for a stroke patient, is love just a con

like I should know, no...tried to act like nothing changed

fucked up from the start, marriage couldn't plant the seed

ask then what's the point, two people who don't like flan

little in common but our parents saw a match

like that's what matters, or hot sex, sometimes deranged

sex is good and love over the years can blossom

ask about the tears, histrionics, was she mad

probably no more than a poor, scared opossum

ask about divorce, separation made me sad

realization, paperwork signed, the real catch

then we were no more, free of each other, the past

worked, molded and cast, a sculpture nobody wants

handsome couples break their vows, move on, kick the can

even love dies twice, when all hope is lost, aghast

nothing hurt more than my reflection in windows

laughable sad sack, I saw an image that haunts

only pitiful believers in love to fan

violent heartbeats in waves on the beach and sand

each to their own faith, we all hide within shadows

given a stray cat, a tortoiseshell, I found hope

only redemption wasn't mine, I made mistakes

everyday this life challenges us as we grope

silence in the dark, none to advise, that's the breaks

suck it up, my man, you've been through worse, a backhand

or punches and kicks, why I trust next to no one

understand nothing, read between the lines, makes sense

terrified adults were just terrified children

how to find the truth, set the record straight, the sun

works without a rest but a man needs a moment

even the cat knew, knew more than me, nonsense

maybe this cat was in need of love, the cauldron

of metaphysics cannot explain this event

virtue in a cat rose up in me, I was spent

every ounce wrung out, I was my worst opponent

of course, I grew old, a tortoiseshell cat, so sweet

now seven months gone, my favorite, she was a treat

Extemporaneous ~ Friday, July 29, 2022

At a loss for words, the poet speaks off the cuff

troubled by events she witnessed at a nightclub

a murder backstage, nobody could hear the noise

loud music playing covered over his voice, gruff

off of cigar smoke, whiskey and a baritone

singing pitch, chorus since a child within the pub

soprano at first, alto, tenor, then his voice

forever now lost, a quarrel and then a fight

over in seconds, strangled to death for a phone

remember Tyrone, he was no boxer, no sound

worked its way on stage, the poet remained hidden

of course, she confessed to what she saw, her voice drowned

re-imagining the struggle, all so sudden

despite the quiet interrogation room, might

she have mistaken the details of the killer

there, backstage, was dark, she was hidden in shadows

here things get murky, everyone was dressed in white

even the man's face was a blur, a salt pillar

possibly, Lot's wife, no, she was confused, as time

obeyed other rules, distracting thoughts, black widows

enter deep inside her consciousness, to invite

the least suspicion, the capitan let her go home

suffering trauma, distress, the scene of a crime

poets connect words as ideas within a net

each time she looked back, her memory went blank, lame

accusations rose, the district attorney set

keepers to observe her movements, as if a game

should elicit her to remember, a poem

of murder and rage, she felt trapped within a cage

forgotten her words, her strange talent to describe

forgotten the scene, reenacted by police

tranquility lost, terror kept her off the stage

how she waited there, in the shadows, the concert

exactly why then was she backstage, to imbibe

cognac with the band, she appeared with the deceased

under a white lie, an all-access pass, as press

for some strange reason, she went backstage to report

for the foreign press, what she saw, under duress

Sooner or Later, We Always Forget the Past ~ Wednesday, July 27, 2022

The point of Sein is not a question to pose

how we seek meaning in order to understand

ethics in a world devoid of morality

point to animal as political, a rose

organic or not, smells as sweet on the first try

insolent poet, shelved books are ready-to-hand

nothing of the sort, genius is banality

transformed, made mundane, malicious, malevolent

order prisoners to face the truth, the blue sky

forget the armbands, the ghettos, trains and tattoos

Sein und Zeit is what, a precursor to death camps

enter fully clothed, remove all clothes, socks and shoes

institute meaning, a system of lies with stamps

nothing official, work appears impermanent

insolent poet, disrespect the dead, to face

shame within hubris, Orestes broke the chain

negate the shackles, a tradition without sense

objectively real, see my two hands, laugh braincase

tranquility drowns in an eponymous sea

attain the greatest achievement, nothing to gain

question the mission, conspiracy as defense

undermine the facts, the truth as present-at-hand

enter the Cold War, the Holocaust ends a plea

suddenly, mercy seems inappropriate, no

trust authority, what a joke, even parents

instruct their children with lies, Kant had no kids, so

obviously truth uncovers the appearance

not of arguments, the weight of a grain of sand

transparency finds no one willing to see past

obscene works of art as decadent in the eye

projecting speech acts as mirrors, a language game

once the beholder sees beyond the self to cast

sculptures exquisite as corpses, the smoke-filled sky

exit the death camp, as breath, soul, the way we came

Sarajevo ~ Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Thirteen, not a king, nor a queen, still just a kid

however, a knave at heart, a villain, a rogue

if I could not be held back by kids in high school

remember, this is only a test, al-Sayyid

turn the page, this book bores holes in my frontal lobe

each day, I look back when I was three, English brogue

entitled as fuck but then we moved, how uncool

not my lot in life, the States, a giant prison

noblesse oblige, act generous, kind, span the globe

order direction in a world without vision

trapped in precision, how could I be like others

aspects of the self, the mirror in derision

kills with broken shards impermanence my brothers

institute the truth, unseen for none arisen

nothing but the sun, work neither rises nor sets

given I'm thirteen, adolescence is my king

nothing but the moon, guardian to my garden

obscene as Shakespeare in the park with no regrets

remember Yorick, memento mori, a skull

aspects of the soul, the eternal lies, I sing

queer songs, the oilsheet smelled of piss, beg your pardon

understand the flight of angels like bats at night

elegiac tunes, mourn the beautiful dead, dull

empty gestures, float across the room in a dream

no more emperors of ice cream, sorry, my queen

sycophantic youth suck on crawfish heads, I scream

transformed, a crab boil, I melt with Baudelaire's spleen

instantaneous shock to the system, my plight

like Gregor Samsa, to die alone, or unknown

like Kafka himself, my wealth invested in rhyme

just back off, buddy, I'm thirteen and in eighth grade

understand, capeesh, sheesh, who found the boy all grown

suffer the brown skin, better than with a brown nose

turbulent jet stream, my father knows, it's your dime

aspects of weather forecasts predict if his trade

killing mosquitoes is lucrative, no one knows

if insect murder bears consequences, karma

drowns, a pool of blood, ask Franz, such was his dharma

Window on a Movie Set ~ Sunday, July 24, 2022

They had broken in. The house was across the street

honestly, from her own parent's house, where she lived

exactly why had they broken in was unclear

honestly, they were kids and kids will be kids [beat]

after they had got in through an open window

despite it being on the second floor, they gived

boredom all access to an empty house, their fear

rippled each moment, a pool table in summer

only source of fun, escapades they could follow

kiss the dream goodbye, someone came home, their escape

ended the mission, a house for sale, no one cared

no worries, move on, next project, get stoned, their scrape

in breaking the law, no big whoop, been there, she stared

no crystal ball, no...no fortune teller, bummer

Their past, their future, actions held consequences

however, privilege and entitlement get by

exactly because people like stupidity

honestly, the house was just one antic, fences

obviously meant nothing, Cali kids prevail

under the worst lies, alcoholism, blue sky

schemes to get rich fast, next to no humidity

endlessly their dreams imagined though through blocked pipes

work, their obstacle, under age, they couldn't fail

as their dreams sailed on without them, nobody cared

still they had sunshine, Disneyland and Hollywood

aspects of the lie surrounded them, no one dared

cast aspersions on their lifestyle, except the good

run dry, wells empty, a country of stars and stripes

only for how long, Cali kids in the desert

soaked up the sunshine, along the coast, at the beach

summertime dog days, sunset at the pier, the Bear

trapped in nostalgia, renovate downtown, white shirt

hung to dry with tie, stiff collars, dry cleaned and starched

ended small beach town, USA, not within reach

street urchins, not quite, dysfunctional homes, unfair

treatment, sun and surf, nothing appears what it is

realizing this, that they were constantly parched

endlessly lacking meaning, nothing understood

exactly when did she wake up, this dream, their hood

that was not the hood, laughable but that's show biz

For the Love of Oil and Pilotless Drone Warfare ~ Thursday, July 21, 2022

Muscle memory remembers twitch as motion

yesterday rats strayed, fled from the ship while at dock

Shock and awe to storm the desert, turn sand to glass

intense heat to melt white candles of devotion

secondary waves blast tectonic plates, seismic

thrusts from flanks and hips, Baghdad quakes all of Iraq

enters the struggle, overwhelmed without the brass

reserved for tactics by followers of Sun Tzu

Sinister warfare, for what reason, strategic

muscle memory, to flex the might of the sword

insanity drives leaders to believe their grief

transcends all distress, suffer a dissonant chord

euphony of bombs, explosions with no relief

sounds and a felt-sense, gestalt shapes the old one-two

Gigantic fists punch holes with rockets through the air

instantaneous, unmerciful stealth fighters

attack from Palmdale, Plant 42 for design

neurotic generals demand the best for their share

tactical pilots carpet bomb the capital

suck it up, D.C., politicians and writers

itch to make it big like the Kennedys, they pine

not for happiness but for notoriety

apple pies wave flags, jingoistic cannibal

Stung by the proud boys, shock and awe in the Senate

tickle the right keys, the ivories, white makes right

institutional racism proves a tenet

notable for lies, from Bush to Trump, faceless might

give me Socrates, his death for impiety

The Invention of the Unknown ~ Wednesday, July 20, 2022

Troubles follow orbs, from wolf to wool, fowl to flow

honor binds dim bulbs, murderers and thieves, not bright

each invalid laid to rest, yet to rise, in vain

Sinister sister inserts tritones to no-show

insist to resist, irises stir the teaspoon

singularity, insularity, changes

tomorrow to cast a wider net, with no room

every corner hides, clutter abides to rewrite

rules for residents, no horseplay without champagne

I swallow a stream and dream scents of her perfume

Never say never, meet again over the moon

ecstasy unseats, the Senate rearranges

virtue riveted to their seats, nowhere to go

excellence arrests aretḗ in its tracks, stop

reverse direction, backwards towards the river

Had I known her name, her face, her voice, I would know

against my desire, my sister passed with hard-bop

despite being born, her demise makes me shiver

An Obol for Charon ~ Friday, July 15, 2022

To reach not to grasp nor to arrive but to wait

only how long now, how long is now, a moment

reachable or not, why try again and again

each time failure found, slow down, touch her hair, her plait

as fold folds into fold follow tales of the tail

cover not the ears but the eyes, now nearly spent

how long before now, soon, never, nevermind zen

now listen for what, the circus calliope

only for how long, how long before others fail

to reach the country, which country, the other shore

train for months, for what, to run, where, how fast and when

only how far now, not far, marathon, no more

gentle, gentle now, go slow, slower still, a hen

rests atop a nest, inside a henhouse, wolves three

await silently, not a howl, nor a yawp, wait

silence, the moon red, crimson, now to get the joke

particularly cosmic, between abysses

neither time nor stars, not before nor after, fate

obeys the spoken, speak not, hear the unspoken

remain true to what, word is born, word is bond, broke

to damage the bond, withstand all analyses

order ships to sail, planes to take flight without wind

arrive not on time, not even timely, broken

ridiculed since birth, the point being to arrive

rivers confluence before the sea, swept out, dust

inside and outside, within the external drive

vitreous humor, nothing to laugh at, distrust

every supporter, word is born, word is bond, find

brotherhood in truth, invisible, the unknown

underneath the waves, the ocean, constant motion

the sea, to sail whence, but where, always on the go

to and fro, nowhere, stuck within the overgrown

objectified field, nowhere to go, but to stay

wait just a minute, why stay here with no ocean

absolutely stuck, no exit, a dead end, slow

in the head, screwy but methodical, to think

the stars overhead, to navigate matters grey

only how long now, exile, banishment, reprieve

nowhere to be found, the governor doesn't care

little does it take, a fulcrum shift to retrieve

yesterday again, again and again, the fare

how an obol sits atop the tongue once so pink

obol for Charon, the ferryman of dead souls

wicked, innocent, no matter, the dead are dead

linger here a while, but this place, so cold and dark

only how long now, that strange noise called singing bowls

nothing but stardust, trillions of years pass, no light

gentle now gentle, turn up the heat, eat flatbread

now shut up and drink, forget the past, lose the spark

only for how long, eternity lasts how long

wonders never cease, wake up, wake up, empty night

how long, until when, timelessness without release

only for how long, repeat the sequence again

wait just a minute, how many times with no peace

little else is known, well-placed mirrors, to refrain

only for a while, a moment, to hear a gong

no escape, just drugs to destroy body and mind

guaranteed twelve years, maximum, all is over

indeed forgotten by most, a few remember

sitting in a bank, on marble floors, sacks to blind

no bank robbery, a ruse, some other reason

only how long now, at the bus stop, recover

what was lost last night, a wallet in the embers

articulate joy, a barbaric yawp, a howl

moment by moment, start again, a new season

objectified field, baseball diamond, clean-cut grass

missing from the pitch, interpretation, crickets

each blade has meaning in the sunshine, for to pass

not just once but twice through all of time, two tickets

ten trillion years, poof, to return with such a scowl

Augmented Fourths ~ Wednesday, July 6, 2022

Are we not worn out by fatigue and love and work

Rest is for the dead, for the wicked, the devil

Even the living must sleep but for a moment

Work for idle hands, in the workshop, children smirk

Even the devil must rest and sleep for three days

Nothing makes much sense, nothing is on the level

Only the eyes see what they believe, a stick bent

Trouble is the truth, it contradicts what is seen

Water everywhere, the devil accepts the praise

Object to Descartes, for to disavow genius

Recognize the face in the mirror as other

Never let water to become arsenious

Other than mother, the poison is my brother

Ugly to grow up in a maze, labyrinthine

Trapped inside my brain, how could I know, I was stuck

But who gives a fuck, a child destroyed, the soul dies

Yesterday, I woke in Bombay as yet unborn

Form is emptiness, inconceivable, my luck

Atrocious, this world, forgive and forget, move on

Tired of fruitless love, children, spoiled brats, full of lies

Ingenious ingrates, I describe myself with scorn

Generosity for the poverty-stricken

Understanding warps the fun house mirrors, bygone

Everyone lets go in their own good time, my crime

Ancestry noble or depraved, mediocre

Nibble on my ear, tell me you love me, my prime

Diminished fifths play the tritone, sulfur, ochre

Leach in the water, the devil cries, grief-stricken

Only the devil remembers his angel face

Vengeance is not mine but nemesis for God sets

Equal the balance, what a joke, should I believe

Argue pro or con, nonplussed, I live without grace

Never without faith but not in the Church of Lies

Despite the cards thrown on the table, place your bets

Worried about death, the Afterlife, I take leave

Our metaphysics is uncertain, do we know

Remarkable lives step in the river, sunrise

Keeps time in motion, remembers to let love grow

Nemesis ~ Sunday, July 3, 2022

Is there anything in this life worth living for

sacrifice is not an option, the point is time

thieves the best decades with stupidity and growth

hitch on negligence, violence and so much more

each celebration, an inane gesture of hope

ridiculous faith in blind corners, it's your dime

even a phone booth for Superman makes me loath

as I must admit high crimes and misdemeanors

nothing grandiose but at the end of my rope

yes, I may ask you why I could never be free

the land of the free made me prisoner of work

how I must escape exile from reality

if you don't get it, dear reader, a soda jerk

not only looked back to catch my eyes, the cleaners

guaranteed to hang dirty laundry out to dry

initiated charges to press against me

nothing more than lies and calumny, or slander

to wring out the truth, a recipe for stir fry

how woke is a wok, only the chef feels the heat

if I ask again, why am I in this city

still not another, to whom must I now pander

left to suck and fuck like a prostitute, my pimp

is God Almighty, blasphemy you say, get beat

for the dog from Hell, or Hades, Cerberus barks

each of his three heads, gnashing and growling, I dare

worry that he is underfed, my dead soul sparks

obvious debate, but I'm still alive, oh Claire

remember Japan, konnichi wa, left me limp

treasure our friendship, a moment lost, the wind blows

how my eyes rolled back, you watched, you mischievous minx

living is dying slowly like the little death

if the French were right, we wait while the river flows

vindicated, cleared and set free where I reside

in a prison cell, solitary, sings the jynx

nothing but this hell, I pet Cerberus, the breadth

given for a tank at Tiananmen Square, bet

forget the future, the ghost of the clam is bride

or groom, transgender, since three years old, I died, fact

remember brother, as you burn in Hell, no sweat