fingerprints

we redefined attraction
in the back room of
that little bodega
over on the corner of
park and grand

the clerk asked if we
wanted to buy an audience
with the keepers of
understanding or a 6-pack
of corona on sale for $5.99

but we already found
the answers we were
looking for encoded in the
fingerprints left behind
on reawakened flesh

sabotage

succumbing to the
forces of sabotage
he sent the muses on
a search-and-destroy
mission to capture
the sky and send it
crashing into the depths
of the underworld
leaving the poet
devoid of inspiration

waiting for the rain

rain came in and
took residence in the
back country dancing
crazy with the stars

we took refuge in the
shelter set beneath the
trees and listened
to the melody of a

slow steady jazz song
playing in the dirt
from the safety of a
canvas stronghold

laughing nervously we
ran our fingers through
droplets pooling on the
surface of waterproof skin

we held our breath
and considered the
implications of entering
this place we kind of knew

in the solitude of a
summer night we
burrowed into the
comfort of warm bodies

and fell in with the rhythm
of the rain as we pushed
back the boundaries
of the unexpected cold

This cracks me up.

I love this kid!

Sweet Tea

James flashed his biggest fake grin at the people that swarmed through the aisles. He tried not to cringe as sticky, sweaty hands pawed at the cards and left dirty fingerprints on the glossy surfaces. It made him mad that these people didn’t respect the cards. Even if they were just the cheap ones, they still represented dreams and goals.

He was convinced that Miller put him near the concession stand on purpose. James suspected that Miller asked the food venders to sell cotton candy and chili fries, just so his cards would be ruined. He may have even scheduled the convention in the South just to spite James. Or, it could just be that James hadn’t had any tea all week and he was cranky from caffeine withdrawal. Anything was possible.

Even more than the humidity in the South, James hated that disgusting, syrupy concoction that the locals called tea. He searched every restaurant and coffee shop in town with no luck. Not a single one carried unsweetened tea on the menu. He tried to bribe the owner of the diner across the street to make some up, just for the week. The woman shot him a look that was a cross between amusement and disbelief. She chuckled at him from behind her cigarette and walked off to pour another round of coffee for the morning crowd. James began to wonder if tea leaves were shipped to the South with the sugar already mixed in.

motivation

careful observation
showed that she
was unable to
grasp the magnitude
of the perfidy in her
interpretation of desire

emotion annihilated
by unrelenting reason
after having fallen
a thousand times
and collapsing
into perpetual
transformation

a lifetime of searching
for meaning
left her in a state
of infinite isolation
avoiding attraction
for the sake of survival

the implication of madness

he shrugged his shoulders
and smiled as he told us
that he had calculated new
mechanisms for disaster

we were not in agreement
with the experiment -- convinced
that the outcome would have
no relevance for civilization

he was insensitive to our concerns
desire to be among the greatest
took precedence over the
extreme panic perspective

our fading hope in redemption
vibrated across the galaxy
and we were left with no other
option but to prepare
for unmitigated destruction

Currently Reading...

Eye on the Universe, Gail Gray
The Metaphysics of a Vegetarian Supper, Andrew Taylor
1000th Monkey, Issues 1 and 2

at the center

he leaned back in his
chair and admitted that
he was affected by
indirect adaptations
and h-bomb explosions

but he still intended to
find the root cause of
self-interest and annihilation
human desire has
little meaning to him

he explored time back to
one second after the big bang
but he was unable to
resolve the depth of the issue
and process eventually
took over his need for product

they watch

Paranoia floods the faces of those below. They see the watchers and wonder why they are there. How does someone with OCD enter the building? The cracks are everywhere. Too many to count. Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back.

      “Write about this bobby pin.”

Chaos gently flows back into order. Swirling spirals of flesh mix with the sea.

      "Life is a digression.”

The self-conscious look up at those looking down.

      “There should always be a button you can push to get out of death. You really should be able to change your mind.”
      “The nurse would step in.”

Why is that gorilla wearing a suit?

The bobby pin floats in the tide. It occupies more of the sea and less of the flesh. One more line in the fragmented sea.

      “I have something to tell you.”

A solitary beam of light escapes the alien ship held captive by poles and cables.

      “It needs more lights. Preferably three.”

The guards stand watch. Don’t look them in the eye. Who guards the cables? Who guards the guards?

Follow the swirls. They’ll take you to Oz. Which one leads to Kansas?

The guards are everywhere, watching. Don’t let them see you mix with the sea and the flesh. Don’t let them stop you from following the path that leads towards home.

apparition

i sat with girl under
the stars and we
reminisced about the time
when we constructed
temporary ghosts and
set them loose in
unpredictable frolic

the manifestation was
both fanciful
and frightening
we watched in wonder
as they flashed in front
of us and then
vanished back into the
darkness of empty space

the details of the
ghoulish enchantment
belong only to us and
the creatures who
hear our secrets
whispered in the dark

connection

obeying the sophistication
of danger
a part of each joined
in expression
in marked contrast
to the rigid works of the past

but could be
just as bad
aided in some
shallow stereotype
about following what
went down

for all this time
simply meshed together
but aware of the symbolism
of treating the
feelings as they come

a new course of action

they sat beneath the safety of
fragrant flowers and quietly
discussed the corporate
value of perpetuating
fixed satisfaction following
news reports declaring the
death of the queen

beyond the wall of mourning
masses they spoke of
goodness, beauty, and truth
increased obligations
and the day lucifer fell
thoroughly pondering the
aftermath of the transgression

tomorrow i will take over the world - an epic tale of super villainy, part 3

read part 2 here

part 3

i thought about joining a
super-villain syndicate but then
i read the annals of
mediocre villainy
they don’t make super-villains
like they used to
more like super-kittens
than super-villains

i will start my own corporation
for super-villains
i will build a super secret
lair to use as our head quarters
and we will have an evil handshake
that no one knows but us
and membership cards
laminated to make them official

i will give them nefarious schemes
to carry out to make sure they
are real villains and not just kittens
because i can buy kittens
or steal them
kittens are cuter than villains

i will be the mastermind of this
new organization and the villains
will be my minions who
carry out my dastardly plans
to take over the world

underworld

he violated the rules
in gangland but
justified the transgression
in the telling of
unpleasant truths

he strongly believed he was
saved by connection
from a murderous fate

but common resentment
grew exponentially
and whispers crawled
in the shadows

parentheses

more than
a matter of
summarizing the
value of chosen
vocabulary

the meaning is
only part
of what is
important

a small part of
the debate
enclosed in
fleeting
knowledge

change is
more than
these words

neighborhood

hope carried

she pointed out the direction
of the suicide personnel
though somewhat vague and
we set forth in confidence
to force sacrifice while secretly
hoping for arbitration

obligation resting
on misrepresentation
we waited long enough to see
if hope would be spared or if
the conduct of history would
be maintained

Currently Reading...

Early Trouble and ceilings, by Jeffrey S. Callico
and
Burnside Review, 6.1

Open Mic

I will be at Gypsy Blues open mic on Wednesday night. I might even read a poem or two. Hell, I might even embarrass myself, just for your entertainment. That alone is worth coming out to see.

If you're in the area, come have a pint and enjoy some local entertainment.

Click here for more info.