Aletheia ~ Monday, October 30, 2023

Hibernating, Ben

in a cave, a grizzly bear

decidedly bored

dreamed within his den

exactly about what, fish

not just salmon, dear

but trout, for a horde

yet, unseen, melts in his mouth

difficult to wish

even this moment

simply for nutritious food

in his fatigue, bent

grinding teeth, to brood

now until spring, then head south

Porichthys notatus ~ Saturday, October 28, 2023

If I were a fish
fa so la ti do re mi

I, Solfège, would sing

would that I could wish
every day to sing these scales
rest after High C
every time I bring

a sustained note to the corn

fields with the hay bales
instantly, my dad
sees his crops pop, and he smiles
how now he is glad

for a daughter, Miles
asks me to sing with his horn

Purr, Purr Motörkitty ~ Monday, October 23, 2023

Impatient to get
money to burn rubber but
premature crankshaft
anticipates debt
turn the corner much too fast
instinct from the gut
ends the punk move, daft
nowhere fast, pure devotion
to speed, left aghast

trouble at each light
of course, signs, nobody reads

gekiga, to fight
elegant trance bleeds
tranquil without emotion

People ~ Friday, October 20, 2023

The world is funny
how some never make mistakes
egregious faux pas

while others, sunny
on the outside, a façade
revel in the breaks
like little lambs, baa
deliberately unlike God

if their perfect teeth
shone like their blue eyes

forget the truth underneath
underneath the lies
no one even cares
no one sees the blood money
yet, it pays the fares

Yet, Invisible to the Naked Eye ~ Sunday, October 15, 2023

Tell me, why is Chip angry all the time
even if on his shoulder the old block
leaves fall not far off from the apple tree
let me explain, man to man, such a crime

makes apologies no longer worthwhile
even if "I'm sorry,," sounds like a crock

windows to the world outside, eyes that flee
horror after horror, inflicted Kurtz
yesterday, today, and tomorrow, smile

inflicted wrath hath no woman to scorn
scratch out his eyes, puncture his ears, nose cut

Chip cannot reveal his pain, was he born
honorably discharged from the womb, shut
inside a museum shows why he hurts
pleasure for others, a childhood misspent

as they call him, "a gentleman," what lies
no doubt, they see just what they want to see
grains of sand fall through the hourglass, his bent
rages against luminescence, the right
yes or no, to bear witness, unsound, flies

against all reason, live as happily
lest the wind blows the scent of incense out
left alone, damaged beyond hope, despite

turns of events, out of his control, shapes
hover in the darkness, Chip whistles tunes
every so often to not be scared, drapes

toss the breeze aside, see the ancient runes
if touch, touch fire, knowledge hidden in doubt
make it better, no one can, no one cares
every time anger grows, anger then shares

Abwehrmechanismen ~ Saturday, October 14, 2023

Abwehrmechanismen

"Rude," Trickett said, "crude," "socially unattractive." We, nishikigoi

understood nothing, we were broccoli, small nails, woven as brocade

defense mechanics, engineering a system, triggers badly act

everything we learned, maladaptive behavior, we, kuji-kiri

tried to emulate parents and other adults, we lacked perspective

obtain a context, artists use tools, envision on a smaller scale

business makes me cry, finances gone out of whack, budgets in time smacked

exactly of blood, lose it, a rush to the head, loss of balance, cool

hunger, food and wealth, capital and property, learn how not to live

obsessive desires, overcome thought processes, act not like a thug

wonders cease never, an old man can learn new tricks, kindness is an art

network the practice, train the brain not to react, love requires a hug

obviously, words like sparrows chatter inane, we learn to act smart

tragic, an old man, without acceptance and grace, always plays the fool

Badge ~ Friday, October 13, 2023

What they cannot know
how experience is not
available through
transmission, to show

to tell others how to be
how we are not taught
experience grew
yellow as a craven yolk

context, we shall see
assaults the senses
no perspective as a child
no sense of tenses
of wolves in the wild
the flesh and bone of the folk

kindness still evokes
no knowledge of right
or wrong, of sinister might
widows black smoke

A Smile, Buddha ~ Wednesday, October 11, 2023

Illumination
silent, if no one is there

in the woods, to hear
the sound, a station

neither here nor there, listen
otherwise, nowhere
trees fall, just a bear

this mindless consciousness lacks
old eyes that glisten
old ears that test bone

listen, while tractors clear-cut
acres, turn to stone
the post hears nought but
enlightenment, his face cracks