In Memorium: Passing Hallmark Card Mandate

"Old soldiers never die, they simply fade away"

 

Lest we forget— 

For as long as we can 

 

Live and breathe, 

Let the death of each 

 

Cherished friend breed 

A remembrance 

 

That never dies. 

 

 

 

Fledgling Pegasus, Sans Horse Sense

 

Foolish Houyhnhnm foal, 

Your approach to poesy is nothing 

But a parody of it, full of cantering 

Pitfalls and oh so maddening 

To the heightened soul— 

 

Why ruffle the feathers 

Of such simple-minded 

Yahoos like us who have trouble 

Enough as it is, getting off

The ground, yet yearning to

 

Soar. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For Him Who First Floated The Idea Of Negative Capability

 

When you think 

You can’t 

 

Swim 

 

Enough to write 

Your name 

 

In water. 

 

 

 

 

 

Coign Of Vantage In The Air

Call it a quirk 

Of fate if you will, 

 

But it’s not 

 

A coincidence 

The shiny coin you keep 

 

Flipping always ends up 

On its edge. 

 

 

 

 

On The Brink: Vertigo As Poetic Metaphor

 

Metaphorically speaking, he 

Mistakenly looks to be 

Three sheets to the wind— 

Apparently a victim of his own 

Bluff but by all appearances 

Only momentarily 

 

Carried away by his dizzying 

Success, this rock-solid 

Astronomically gifted 

Over-the-moon poet

Might soon be seen tottering 

On the tips of his toes 

Like a drunk danseur, 

Before flying head-over- 

Heels οver the edge 

 

Of the nearest sobering, 

Down-to-earth cliff. 

 

 

 

Fifteen Poems

Mark Young, the editor of the very fine Australian poetry magazine Otoliths was kind enough to include 15 of my poems in the latest issue of the magazine, for which I thank him. Here is the link to the poems and while you're there, please copy/paste the link and take the time to read the rest of the contributions to the issue. 

 https://the-otolith.blogspot.com/2023/01/vassilis-zambaras.html

 

 

 

Self-Telepathic Rote Therapy

 

Know this, 

Callous one— 

 

Your next poem knows you so 

Well it’s ready to read 

 

Your mind and write it 

Just for you. 

 

Be thankful just this once 

And show it— 

 

Learn it by heart, too.