Unsaid And Straight To The Heart Of The Matter

Yes, by all means 

This time do set it down 

Right, reticent one, clearly 

And cleanly as possible, all the way 

To its worm-eaten core—

 

And listen up good—

Leave no loose ends dangling, 

Like those that devilish 

Wriggler left so you could 

Choke on them in its absence;

 

That said, what are you waiting for? 

Eat your heart out, full 

Speed ahead—we’re dying 

Here to watch you do it right 

This time around, 

 

Nuff said?

 

To A "T"

There was nothing 

He couldn’t do,

 

And he did it so well

He never had to try. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ambivalent Unconditional Surrender

Many the battles over 

Common ground till 

 

One finally approaches 

A poem on its own terms— 

 

Tattered white flag in one hand, 

Fingers crossed in the other. 

 

 

 

Best of Plum Tree Tavern 2016 to 2020

Russell Streur, the innkeeper over at the veritable Plum Tree Tavern was kind enough—and I thank him once again--to include one of my poems in his latest anthology of poems titled "Best of Plum Tree Tavern 2016 to 2020." If so inclined, readers can read it and the other fine offerings included therein. Here is the link https://plumtreetavernbestofone.blogspot.com/ . BTW, my poem is next-to-last but I’d recommend reading all the entries before it--and the final one, of course. Cheers!

 

MIA

Miserable cur that you are, 

You still need not 

Agonize over 

 

A poem's arrival as if it were 

Some long-overdue missive 

From a missing loved one— 

 

It will appear when 

You least expect it and do what 

It’s always executed so well— 

 

Put you out of your misery.

 

 

 

 

Concerning The Matter Of Things

This world does not want 

You to stare dumb- 

Founded in- 

To empty 

Space no matter 

What--it wants 

You to find 

Your rightful place 

In the midst of so many wrongs 

And fill it with nothing 

But song. 

 

 

 

Neon Twilight

You’re destined to see

Your whole life go past you 

In a flash, and you’re still 

 

Green behind the ears 

Inert as ever, waiting 

For the sign saying look 

 

Both ways before crossing 

Against the last red light. 

 

 

 

After Heraclitus, Naturally

Who said

 

It’s natural man knows 

His own mind and knows  

He’s sane—woe to him 

Who doesn’t know

 

He's insane.

 

 

 

 

 

Healer Of Desperate Souls

--for Eleni 

Of that precious 

Small pocket of air 

You carry with you 

Like a talisman against all 

The ills of the world 

That descend upon us 

Everywhere, tell me again 

And again how it is 

Everything it touches 

Dispels untold depression 

And despair! 

 

 

 

So Far, So Good

Imagine 

Beyond this growing 

Poverty of words nothing 

But silence and you trying 

 

To explain how 

You came so close 

To untying your tongue 

Again and again.