Coolness

There is a brisk coolness

to this morning air which

envelops me and those

about my countenance

like my Siamese whose

trusted appearance was

not so easily won say a

few years ago when first

he ventured into my home,

disrupting all about him

as he trotted through like

some race horse needed

to piss a ton or two, but

in these neglected ages of

time in which we both

have paid our dues, we

rest easily together but

still far enough apart we

cannot be touched if we

have a mind not to be.

24May16

Promises Kept

does it really matter anymore

now that death's door we are

our promises we keep since

nothing up to this point, or

are you such a prude about

death and dying that you want

every cent from me beforehand

as if paying my debt somehow

squares us all with all those

promises on which you by

chance had failed to pay...

24May16

Discomfort

a slight ring of discomfort

encircles my head completely

even though my thoughts,

if one can call them that,

roll out of my mind, as if

they had been manufactured

without my consent and given

to me to pass the time until

these rings disappear, but as

soon as one fades, another

one appears and there is no

respite even when my eyelids

close tight around the balls

inside and drawings of different

colors can be seen but only

two at a time like white on black

or red on black or green on black,

and these drawings seem different

from one another like ink blots

or photos seen of fractal geometry;

and, focused on these art form

has become mesmerizing and

each of these lines can be

distorted when slightly opening

the lids and squinting, turning

them in to line of sight lights

like one might see driving in

the darkest of nights when them

moon is so scared it stays away

and weirdos come out to play.

21May16

Fatigue

my fatigued body lies

on a bed of familiarity,

past its normal time of

evening departure but

it makes no difference

as tired eyes close and

thoughts drifts to dreams

and my mind slows just

enough to let distant

desires and feeling in,

no any kind of sleep in

in small acquisitions of

time and yet, the clock

on the stand shows a

good hour and a half

have passed, leaving

me with some rest of

the body in question

yet not the kind that

makes a difference or

shares the claim that

“like a baby I slept;”

and, this is expected,

always expected the

night those poisoned

terrorists are sent to

silently destroy the enemy

when in the process, there

are always casualties of

the good kind that are

left in the wake as well,

and in this patriotic

gesture of good faith

medicine, I am poisoned

to the “gills,” in order

to gain a “foot up” on

my future... still, not a

worthwhile future, just

a retirement that is

mediocre at best, since

my ambition was left

behind in my old high

school desk that had been

on loan to guys like us

for years and we never

knew why they were all

smiling at us exactly.

21May16

Rigged

fake flowers in a vase stand

looks go all around

steps down or up our party goes

with tasteless flavors;

rumors rank our past deeds some

of which are still in jail,

and we, benign spirits of an

enlightened age cast out our lots

as if shooting craps with

loaded dice and none the wiser

for all games of life are rigged

and all the players at some

point-in-time die, either

standing the life's vase or

lying down in one of her alleys.

20May16

Fleeting

fleeting moments dart by

like farts at a patio party

and even though unnoticed

someone knows that

something just ain't right

about the moment and it

is not the watered down

alcohol that is being poured

into each bottomless glass,

nor is it the cool night breeze

that softens arguments nor

is it the perfumes that silently

circulate rings around sensitive

'areas of the mind that have

remained unchallenged for years;

but, something...

yes something...

has moved by us

interwoven but unconnected

as our conversations dance

in rhetorical circles and we

cannot wait until the fleeting

moment has finally concluded.

19May16

Oh, so Theoretical

words bends thoughts into two
piles of separate measures,
both of which are aberrations
of a consciousness that
existed before time moved in

a straight line and blinded us
to its self-awareness and pain;
bent thoughts written down
provided reassurances and
escapes from that which was
no longer understood or
validated by simply offering
a little blood for diagnosis;
reassurance and escape
provided nothing in return
from the villains and pirates
who staked out claims for
regulated guidance made
available when words and
thoughts are no longer found.


1Jul16

Annoyed

rise and fall

hearts beating

slow

without rhythm

pulsing

without purpose

linear and lean

grace

without action

knowing

without understanding;

rise and fall

sideways out

then in

until

the end returns

and we see

clearly again,

even though our

diminished thoughts

are still cloudy.

1Jul16

Chemo

eyes fall heavy
this day
and the last
but
not completely shut
as they have been
in the past
and
with the fulfillment
of the destiny
will we
know for sure,
finally,
that life
does not yield
kindly
to death's mistress
this day, Sir.

28Jun16

Cruisin'

Homer's Odyssey
flows beyond
without hindrance
on the minds
of the modern,
in the hopes it words
would linger and fester,
as one might expect
a boil to do; but,
without the need
of doctoring,
because,
we are throwing toys
not tantrums
and in the knowing,
not the telling,
are we vitalized
by the journey.

28Jun16

Sleep overs

pinks skies fade into

overcast blues as the

sun rises and hides

off in the distance to

mourn the loss of rain;

daylight diminishes

her claim of the night

while we sleep in a

little nocturnal relief,

unaware of the struggle

and too insecure by

our own admission

to really be concerned.

28Jun16

Unnecessary

maroon diagrams in the carpet of life
float like the magical ones but without
as many stops at which to disembark;

within our mental museums, we hide
the pillage of previous years as a tribute
for future ones, hoping its value is the
transcending kind than can be bartered;
lives once sold matter very little now,
but lives for which to be sold can be
bargained and negotiated as if there was
never any real need for justification.

28Jun16

Rights Not Renounced

perception
we believe
is on the edge
of
enlightenment,

especially
since we know
so little
of either; still,
we have the
expectation
of
perception
in all its glories
as we might
anoint royalty
in all of theirs,
knowing the
mutual
sensitivities
are not simply
there for
the taking,
but must be
part of the
shared despair.

28Jun16

Truth Serum

Truth tick tocks around 

as it was intended to do,

yet, it does so with a 

curved attitude in its

approach, since rhythms

reflect intensity but not

direction or velocity;

truth torments its captors

while on relentless pursuit

and offers no satisfaction

when finally captured and

beheaded as is the custom;

truth denies and destroys

it owners as it twists and

turns reality into a courtroom

of meaningless arguments as

victims leave wanting less.

28Jul16

Painting Darkly

hallways of harmony
bridge all gaps, including
those just discovered by
the illuminating crash of
daybreak on the horizon;
beads of tentative sweat
stroll down the chest
as if morning pinks were
once again optional;
and, mental storms were
no  longer within reach
when one awakens from a
deep superficial sleep;
we drift and gravitate
towards the unconditional,
trying to discern the depth
of life as we know it to be,
yet, resolving nothing in our
vague request at abstractions,
while painting the obvious
in between spaces with the
dark or someone/'s doubt.

28Jun16

Once Removed

a mind howls
as it blows by
wind-like and all,
leaving chills
running up and down
the spine like
hidden creatures
playing inside my
abandoned thoughts;
pain creeps in and
about the joints
delicately replacing
numbness and the
ever present tingling;
time warns through
pain and anticipated
relief is never found
in an antiquated city
of desire that lurks
within the hidden
valleys of staying alive
and the mountains
of pain's desires.

28Jun16

Entering Into

the nature
of our nature
is always
changing
and the nature
of the nature
of the change
always catches
us off guard;
we scream
to be screaming
at something,
shocked by
its appearance
and lack of
enthusiasm
when we enter
into the nature
of things and
their surroundings.

27Jun16

Rediscovered

it is no longer the world

of our fathers, nor

of our mothers, who

brought us here;

it is a world

of shapes and sizes

colors and forms

ins and outs

and conclusions drawn;

it is vivid and mute

barren and lustful,

but it is also changing

no longer shedding

the same winter skins

in the spring,

it has been misplaced

and it has been found

even though its location

has remained the same;

it is destiny for some

legacy for others

yet, it is always

rediscovered differently.

27Jun16

Connection

home birds sing loud

cats howl
familiar surroundings
once again;
feeling subside twice
before noon,
impaled upon its own
memory,
their dawn and

inspiration;
flowers flirt with their
stems and
grasses blow around
while letting
ants walk upon them,
out and about
freely;
we roam yonder
and return,
back to the roots
where we belong
and
in so doing, we
solidify our
unique connection.

27Jun16

The Sea Sees

dark clouds crisscross
between our location
and the land which has
been so often used to
save lives; but, the wind
blows in the rain
hiding the sun behind
its embarrassment and
the clouds and every so
often, it reflects blue skies
whenever the winds
decides to breathe;
thunder targets the light
while light saves the day
and the sun glows through
portholes of the sky until
life is blown free and clear,
floating in the ocean for
all to see in the morning.

18Jun16

Rule's Life

the end
of the end
of an end
gives birth
to the beginning
of the beginning
of a beginning;
we shift focus
and beliefs
turning towards
those makers
of the new,
hoping for order
but willing to
accept a
little chaos;
we justify our
claims because
they are
righteous, knowing
that none of our
lives will ever
be forsaken.

18Jun16

Seeking Comfort

wrapped around the shoulders
towels are
like wings spread wide...
the wind blows them
side-to-side
and into the sun
eyes squint wide
letting little in...
no penetrating today
or any other day,
when the Caribbean sun
glares and flares,
reflecting water...
Jamaican Rum flows
and glows inside
while cooked palms
on island sands
point to the skies...
blow breeze blow
as the legends go,
twisting in lounge chairs
seeking a little comfort.

17Jun16

Breaking Water

the lions of the sea

foam at the mouth

like rabid animals

as we cruise past

their endless herds,

making way to ports

unknown and some

adventures repeated,

acquiring a sailor's

mentality and seaward

rhythms too brisk 

and too old for the

inexperienced; and,

in the dawn of the

morning or the dusk

of the night, we sleep

inside our daydreams

of dolphins snorkeling

south of cold waters

and guiding us eastward

to our original homes.

17Jun16

Slow Sea Confirmation

the earth yields her waters

to the sailors of the sea,

those maritime males and females

who seek the journey far from home

that seems to eases their souls

and calm their points-of-view

like some spiritual awakening

of all the senses and

delicately woven into a

slower fabric of time that

reconfirms what was there

and had been there all the time.

18Jun16

Just Sailing

blue skies blow
clouds behind us,
trails of wind can
be seen sliding by too,
black and while seagulls
soar in and out
of the sky
angling up and down
as our bow
cuts through the waves,
that always attempt
to push us back to
from whence we came.

18Jun16

A Little Dream

on a glass lake of blue, our
single masted schooner sails,
rings of clouds encircle us
as if we were Saturn on some
mystic alien voyage through time;
vanilla canvas sails catch tiny whiffs
of our breezing by while our sun
beats down without mercy, and
we lay on our coffin like deck with
an overwhelming desire for rain;
dolphins playfully jump and splash
beside us effortlessly sprinkling
us with salt water, serving only
to burn our lily white skin,
stretched tightly across our
prone, lifeless bodies and without
warning, bursts of rain are
showered upon us as gusts of
wind push us safely ashore
and we kiss the ground and
solemnly promise ourselves,
we will daydream no more.
14Jun16

Returning Home

off the coast of the Carolina's we sail

all ahead slower than the day before

restoration for the gamblers and those who

enjoy the sun but when the alcohol flows

no one cares and no one dares complain;

three sheets in the wind we are today and

eight days before when we first left Baltimore

and through the triangle we passed, until

land captured our imagination as into the

ports we all disappeared, claiming part of

the past was to never reappear, except in

memories and photos of excursions about

which no one remembers and no one cares

to dare the chilly wind to calm down for us.

18Jun16

Tensity

tense times calls for
tense measures and
these tense measures
bring about more
tenseness that cause
even more tenseness
to appear in case the
tenseness gets a little
out - of - control
as it has before;
and, no one,
sadly enough,
knows the answer
nor is search for
the answers and all
these actions causes
to all the tense inaction
that seems to be
taking place within us
and our tense environment,
and we strongly hope
that mother nature will
bless us with a storm to
wash all this tension away.

23May16

Purposely Profound

we listen and receive well
what our fathers gave to us,
all those many years ago,
especially, those rights which
most of us take for granted;
but, for some of us, we want
to use our rights to take
away and eliminate those
rights displayed by others
about which we do not like.

23May16

Registered

each day is problematic
 perhaps more so than before,
since all we do is wonder
what each one will bring
and in the wondering, we
see little joy at all as
most of what we wonder
about is long overdue.

23May16

Morning Madness

light appears through

the window,

awakening my reluctance

to jump on the day

when I know I must

accomplish something;

each day,

I survive the night,

but, the apprehension

of getting it done

and I mean all done,

leaves me with nothing

to do each morning but

to sleep a little longer.

23May16