Henry’s my friend. He likes to help All of the people he knows. He tells their bad points and gives them stuff To get rid of the spots on their clothes. He gave a truck driver a bottle of Scope — I’ll never forget the day. The man said, “I like you. You’ve got guts.” Then punched Read More …
Category: Poetry
Here are many of the poems I have written throughout my life, dating back to high school, so beware. As a poet, I’ve been pretty sporadic over the years, going through periods of high productivity when I was very young, to occasional bursts in midlife and very occasional drips as I’ve gotten older. I’ve found that the drips of my later years are far more appealing than the bursts (sometimes outbursts) of my youth, so I came to an accommodation. Instead of presenting everything here, I went by a standard of “that which is at least forgivable.” There is much in my moldering files, I’ve discovered, that is not. I’m sure you’ll find some of the work pretty engaging. Whether in the process of cataloging my expressions and impressions from across the years, I have weeded out all that indeed is unforgivable I, with some trepidation, leave for you to decide.
The Days of the Week
The days of the week are monotonous things If you stop to think about them. Yet, however dull they all may seem, We just can’t live without them. Friday, let’s start with just be be different, Is the same every week. You get your pay and, zoom, it’s spent Along with the happiness you seek. Saturday Read More …
Twenty-Three Skidoo
One night while walking in the woods Watching the fireflies flying, I heard the most unhuman screech; As if someone for help were crying. I looked to my left and I looked to my right, But nothing there could I see. And then a voice from out of the night: “Over here, my friend, look Read More …
Upon Sight of the Ball He Gave Me
The boy raced the other boys his age, Fighting for possession of the prized Green-and-white oval ball, The football that the excited girls In short, pleated skirts Had tossed at the crowd. He envisioned the pride that His older brother, the football player, Would have in him if he Won the prize. As a matter Read More …
Young Love
In the silence of a morning’s Half-awakened dream, An ember, warm and tender Huddles close to me, Prepares me with a restful kind Of joy and harmony, And power flows into my heart Into the empty spaces. A day is filled with child-crimes Of passion and of play, As even all the potter’s toil Can’t Read More …
Beacon
For years, I wandered in a world of dark In search of a happiness in my life. My mind petulantly tossed like the Ark In a raging storm of unyielding strife. A beacon light is what you were for me, Drawing me to the long sought-for green Isle. I set my sails on the straight Read More …
Suckling Calf
Eye closed, looking into the sun, Climbing up the staircase, almost alone; Body started sweating fourteen breaths ago Hammer started pounding many feet below. Meadow nice, and mountains, put my head at ease. Lonely, homeless suckling calf came up to me. Eye to eye, together we began to climb. Head to head, hot breathing — Read More …
God Speed
Re Main We who are alone and godless Enlist your aid. We beg of you, groaning, moaning, mourning, To send your troops: Hail Osiris! Flying past, chariot aflame, guiding Halley’s comet! Beg Him turn course crossing the eons of moral decay Commandeering His charging troops – storms for neo-astronomers. If this alliance be too weak Read More …
Sonnet 3
I took some change from my pocket and gave It to a beggar on the street who asked Me if I knew of Gideon and his past. To me those ancient men are naught but slaves. I answered, “Yes, I’ve spoken with a god,” But said It speaks to me as if I’m but A Read More …
Shadows
Shadows — Shadows surround me, And I can feel them From all four sides. And the shadows — Take warmth from around me. All the tall buildings Force me to hide. The buildings — Aging but stalwart Block out the sunshine Hiding my hope. Direction — There must be a direction To lead us from Read More …