Saturday, March 31, 2012

Raison D'ĂȘtre?


Because they are splendid 
Windbreakers, cypresses ring cemeteries— 
But that’s not the only reason 
They take our breath away.

Friday, March 30, 2012

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Using Your Horse Sense


Riding a winged horse 

Sounds downright fantastic, 
Doesn't it? 

Just make sure it leads you 
To water you can drink. 

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Classic Dionysian Drinking Song


So, Bacchus, old friend, 
Here we go again, staggering 

Down timeworn marble steps 
To a dank beckoning cellar— 

Let’s drink to that to no end. 

Monday, March 26, 2012

Poetry Slam in the Garden


Did you say slugfest? 

I hear that’s where you squash them summer 
Moonlighting sloggers one by one till there ain’t no 
Undisputed champion of cabbage heads left punching 
Cauliflower ears in them rutabaga leaves 

No more. 

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Nada: My Own Private Idaho


Today I spent the morning writing about yesterday, 
And thought it was good I had something to say— 

The rest of the day I thought about tomorrow, 
And what I’d write about if there was no tomorrow. 

Saturday, March 24, 2012

Body of Water


In his sleep, he saw 
The goddess had awakened 
On a moonlit strand— 

And was now walking on waves 
Swathed in phosphorescence 
Back to no man’s land.

Friday, March 23, 2012

Out on a Limb


Imagine loving a tree—is that so foolish? 
Look at you earthbound 

Looking up at me, caught up 
In that instant, what kind of fool 

Can you see? 

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Interior Architecture


People keep asking us why 
Our house has so many windows— 

When we were designing it, 
My wife and I decided 

It would have as many windows 
On the world as necessary 

To make us feel at home inside.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Logorrhea, My Contribution to World Poetry Day


We run off at the mouth whenever we say whatever 
We put down is what we have to say and nothing’s going stop us, 
Come what may— 

Okay, bulldozers, let’s have it our way but 
What are we going to say when our treads are sinking in deep 
Shit with everybody running the opposite way? 

Monday, March 19, 2012

Ventriloquist aka Monsanto's GMO Stool Pigeon


Talk about someone throwing their voice! 
Even the head of our dummy corporation can’t tell 

Where the next rat’s coming from. 

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Lonesome Pine Inn


Much too crying out loud thinking 
The reticence where 

Soon to be boxed in 
A canyon resonating 

Somewhere out there. 




Saturday, March 17, 2012

Guttersnipes


Who gives a shit about your so-called catharsis, big shot? 
Whatever it is for you, for us it’s always going to be another 


One of your effluent turds gargling in our gutter.

Friday, March 16, 2012

Ball-buster Driving Last Nail in Coffin


I gotta hand it to you, stud— 

When you said your body was perfect, 
You hit the nail on the head. 


Thursday, March 15, 2012

Down-to-Earth Niedecker

To be beautifully lost 
For a time takes as long 
As one finds time 

Enough to give in 
To such frivolous fancy, 
And for me that’s poetry— 

But the shine on the pendulum says 
Your time’s up, Mister, so take that 
Crock of shit back to where you found it. 





Wednesday, March 14, 2012

Wolfbane


Moonstruck, a banshee’s wailing—why 

Is the wind not howling 

Huddled behind my door?

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Fragment of Logbook Entry, Greek Dark Ages


. . .unverified sighting of sea creature 
resembling Kraken reported. . . . . . .

. . . unintelligible spreading. . . . . . .
inkblot on surface pointing 

fingers not so rosy dawn 
crawling over edge— 

take it down!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

A Penny for Your Thoughts, Your Honor


Your precious daughter, Jerri Prudence? 
She ain’t worth a plugged nickel 
No more—she done 

Hollered dirty copper after— 
Not before I robbed her cradle— 
She ain’t gonna throw no porno look at me 

No more.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

An Epic, More or Less

He who hopes to grow in spirit. . . . 
will not be afraid of the destructive act: 
half the house will have to come down. 
—Cavafy, “Growing in Spirit” 

If that’s what the old man believes
Muse, keep piling on the detritus— 

Then have caterpillars tread on me, 
Mopping up the mess. 



Friday, March 9, 2012

Realtor Turned Politician Selling America


Nothing specious about 
this property 

so deceptively spacious 
and so upfront—just 

imagine you’re a midget
playing pool with an ace 

up your sleeve, a big white house 
in your ass pocket.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

Elderly Immigrant in Rest Home


What more you want me to say? 
They brought me to America 
When I was not yet four— 

No memories of the motherland, 
No children no dreams left 
To even up the score. 




Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Curtains in Hellas


….and the winning entry in our annual 
Summer Art Imitating Nature category is

Ms. Phyllophila Ephemera’s highly original 
And bewitchingly lifelike pattern—

A myriad of houseflies captured for posterity 
On an arresting white background! 

(Applause) 



Monday, March 5, 2012

The Proprietor of the Paradise Inn


Tainted goods? My apologies 

But they weren’t always spoiled— 
They went off when 

I caught them in the pantry 
With their pants down, eating 

Rotten apples.

Saturday, March 3, 2012

Chef de la Birdbrains


Merde du poulet! My mind 
On ever greater things to create,
In my jardin d'herbes I did not see
 
Under the sage that petite yellow crocus
On my way back to the kitchen— 
Mon Dieu! In my next life, please
 
Bring me back as a chicken. 
 
 


Friday, March 2, 2012

Cypresses in Eden


Because they fail to regenerate when cut back too severely, 
Cypress trees have been associated with the underworld for ages— 
They also bear small round seed cones resembling apples, 
But no one would ever be caught dead trying to eat them. 

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