Thursday, November 12, 2015

Spiritual Matters Do Count, Poet


Soul-wracked, sick 
To death of hearing 
About their exploits

In the outside world, 
You will not be there 
Upon their return; still

You wish to leave a message 
That will convince them 
You were there all those times 

When they were elsewhere; 
You have made sure of that 
By leaving your body as evidence. 


Monday, November 9, 2015

Paying Obeisance to the American Dream


Most poor souls who ended up 
Leaving their bodies here 
Came over because friends 
Or relatives wrote 
And told them it was not at all 
Like the old country; 

In this new world 
There was more than you 
Could imagine, plenty 
To do and more 
Money than you 
Ever dreamed of— 

All you had to do 
Was keep your head 
Down, stoop over 
And—without 
Missing a beat— 
Pick it up. 

Friday, November 6, 2015

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Recycling for Obstinate Dummies


Let me try 

Breaking it down for you 
Once and for all— 

Environmental waste is what remains 
When we take everything 

We want from the earth 
And leave nothing 

But our stinking remains. 


Monday, November 2, 2015

Ionian Threnody


These children being washed 
Up lifeless on our sun-drenched shores, 
From what illustrious race are they descended 
And what woe has brought them to us 
In God’s name? 

Surely some great catastrophe 
Has befallen them 
And they seek nothing 
But a far, far better world than that 
From which they came. 

If we could but tell them 
At last the journey’s over 
And their lives not lived in vain, 
Who would cleanse our bodies 
Of our frightful, faceless shame? 



Saturday, October 31, 2015

Peace for Our Time, Brothers


Sometimes—and it just might be 
This time around—one has to 
Come to terms with the term 
“Unconditional surrender”— 

But like any survivor, be he 
Vanquished or victorious 
Breaking down each 
And every article of war, 

I wouldn’t guarantee it. 




Monday, October 26, 2015

Poet Found Sleeping on the Job


I bet you’ve heard this one time and time again— 
Your next word could be your last. So why 

Weren’t you paying attention? 





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