Thursday, January 30, 2014

black cat with one eye

the black cat 
with one eye 
walks by 

this is one of the yards 
in the neighborhood 
the cats know... 

there is no dog 
there are chairs with 
     cushions 

there is a way 
to the alley 
there is a hole 
in the fence 
cut 
for when i 
had a cat 

they walk 
they stalk 
sometimes they talk 
to me 

mostly i am used 
for my cushions and 
and my chairs
and the calm, quiet 
air 

no kids- 
not much in the way of 
power tools 
or blowers 

and water- 
and fish 
to watch

little birds 
do hop about-  
these cats 
are not much interested 

they are being fed 
somewhere else
worried over 
by someone else 
vet bills paid by 
someone else 

part of the landscape 
part of the scene 
these cats 
walk by 
me




grey day

what can i say 
about today 
it is grey 

grey and damp 
with no rain

there is a drought 
with dampness 
and no sun  

the crack in the ceiling 
is widening 

i despair 

perchance 
i take myself 
too seriously 
here 

this body 
this life 
do not last 
long 

some days 
they last too 
long...

my stalker 
is not stopping... 

but i must 
i must find something 
to be glad 
about 

today especially 
something to beat back 
the grey 
and the grey mood 
i'm in 

oh yes
i got some news- 
the root canal 
does not have to be 
dug 
the Erie Canal 
in my mouth 
has got a reprieve 
silly me

if we think 
if we just stop and think 
amidst it all 
all the fog 
and drama 
and feelings

there is always something 
there must be something 

to be glad 
about  


Sunday, January 26, 2014

The Tango Cloud

the tango stage show 
was beautiful 
with many young people 
showing their 
prowess 

and yet,
i remember 
my favorite partner- 
who doesn't move so well 
-is elderly now 
and yet- 

and yet 
we can create 
the cloud 
so easily 
so effortlessly 
it seems like 
we are 
the only two 
in the room  

the tango cloud 

the one we ride 
upon 
-the closeness 
we create 

-for only a few minutes 
and then we return 
to our respective corners 
     of the room 
and to our life partners 
     after having shared 
an intimacy of movement 
     which cannot be portrayed 
     on stage 

no matter how well they dance 
-how high they throw their partner 
-how fast they run 

it is more important 
by far 
to me-
to create the cloud 
to enjoy it 
to ride around on it 
to be enveloped by it 

to be held 
in the arms 
of my favorite 

Tanguero 



simple things

sometimes
in life
it is good
to be thankful for
the simple things

the gas guy came
the heater works

it is not good to be
standing
negotiating
with a thermostat
begging it to tell the heater
to turn on
cursing at it
pounding on it
-crazy people
do this. . .

while

beginning to shiver
beginning to think
another astronomical bill
will be coming

it is good to have heat

I have begun to believe
in the old saying-
people make plans
     and the Gods
          laugh

I have begun to see
there is a difference between
what I can plan and
what I can want
and
what is

What is-
is the way it is
The way it may be
meant
to
be

My plans are
based upon some ego idea
based upon some past
-some premise

these plans
have no bliss
in them
no inherent presence

the way it is,
however,
is
a part of God's plan
and therefore
full
of presence
and bliss

who knew? 




Rat's Nest

Mention a rat in a poem
And adds for exterminators
Arise.

They don't know it's  you
I am referring to-

They think it's the furry little cute guys
Who get in your attic
And create havoc

Not the furry little cute guy
Who got in my life
And began to nest
Became a pest
And then
Wouldn't go away

Would that they could understand
Sometimes a woman needs an exterminator-
Terminator
For the relationship which
Has made a nest and
Set up housekeeping
Uninvited
Unappreciated
Unwanted
Uneverything

Advertise for that service
If you will

There is a need here-
A brilliant business idea

-Needs a plan
Some venture capital
And then
Wham

No more rat's
Nest

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Joyous Abandon

Money and time
Time and money

How much of either
Is really worth our time

Being In the moment
Seeing in the moment
Holding you
In the moment

How many moments do we have
Left together
How could I live
If you would leave

This is why it is better
To never fall in love
This is why I do not take
That advise

I am not good
With advise
I feel like I am
Rushing toward a cliff

With
Joyous
 Abandon.


Monday, January 20, 2014

Writing While Running

Writing while running
Wondering why

Pondering levels, dimensions in space
And time
A person is a thing
Right?
And a personality
Is solid and right-
As in correct-
As in structure
And circumstance

Writing while running
And wondering why
Waiting for the next
Proverbial shoe
To drop

What will it be
The next emergency

I have hoped for the
Simple life

The one serene
The one advertised
In advertisements

I long for that
Where All appliances function
And we know
What we're running from



Sunday, January 19, 2014

Military discipline!

When u kiss me
What does it mean

Do I replace someone
Do u even know me

Do I even care
Recklessly I run ahead

I always have

I have trouble with chocolate
And with love

I don't have much whatchamacallit
I must think. . .
Oh yes
Self restraint. . .

Military discipline!

Love and wine

God is love
They say

I have seen it
And I know it to be true

But it makes the moments
We are apart
That much more difficult
And empty

There is no barrier, they say,
Except the ego
Which gets in the way

Ego says it knows the way
It wants to stay
And run the show

It doesn't know
That without it
Is the only way to go
The only way to be free
Is to be free
Of me

There is this wine
Of the mystic sort
The taste is fine
Exquisite
Sweet
Constructed of sweetness
Existing in an eternity
Of its own making

How can the ego say
The wine is no good
Go away

How can the ego say
I have other things to do
Today

This body's getting older
Time is running by
To what will the ego cling
When it is gone? 

Of restraining orders and root canals

Of restraining orders
And root canals

Life is a silly old thing.
We dance all night
We limp the next day
Who can say

He says he loves me
-He says he hates me
Love is better

But it's scary too
There might be some responsibility here
Of which I am not capable or comfortable
With

My tangueros have returned
There is a time to forget
That the world is turning
When we are turning
Together
Then there is only balance,
Closeness and
Bliss

I miss this
When it is not
Here

Waiting to hear
If a root canal is inevitable
I remember how to pray

I gain traction
In the begging and pleading
Department. 

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

centrifugal force

a particularly uninspired 
     morning 
so many things left 
     undone 

other people seem 
     to have it 
     all together 

I've always wanted 
     to be like them 

but there's this thing 
     called 
     Gravity 

it holds us all together 
     somehow 
it also makes things 
     slip out of my hands 
     and fall to the floor 
     and break 

try as I may 
     to prevent such 
     happenings 

a friend explained it to me... 
     it has to do with 
     centrifugal force 
     and mass 
     and such 

I just know that I need 
     to lose a few pounds of mass 
     and stop 
          dropping things