You Set the Scene

Noise, aching cacophony.  Plead of ringing ears.

Can’t hear for discordant clamor.

Harsh voices, demented violence, cracking mirrors.

Lusty grabbing at what passes for dearness.

Jagged touch — jagged forbearance.

 *

Got strife, suffering fools,

random ridiculous rules?

Shout a counterpoint to profit’s dangling melody:

“Bring ample balm; anoint to entrain a sing along.”

Safely packed into treasured space of silence

remain joyful harmonies, fragrant glades,

beyond confusion or complaint.

* 

Visionary steering allows weary refugees

approach to wisdom’s self-recreation.

Howling wind blows kind, accrued sensation.

Don’t like bleeding colors? Compose a verdant scene.

Step out of background painting, past edge

of silver screen.

Skipping through lucid gallery,

animated, amused.

 *

Hooded goddess tantalizes, whispers of

prizes well-laid,

her wayward journeys.

Salient shadows, ghostly sighs.  Branches bow,

brush restless sky, yearn.

* 

One step at a time.

Wherever that might find you.

That slime and crap’s behind you.

As duration wiles beyond, learn to respond

then to desire,

then to recognize environs

that fit well enough to settle in, reside.

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Make Peace The Issue

Histrionic

Seeking sensory vindication

for pumping blood, aroused anticipation.

 *

We have descended.

An anarchy of broken promises,

compacts, mirrors, pastel pieces

dropped heavily to shatter.

We embarrass captive ancestry,

whining, whimpering, writhing

as if such elocution equals drama.

We sadly dust away worn skin

without ingenuity to renew.

Settling, dumping our shameful load, resigning

into scrapes upon a screen.

Box of tricks emptied open, left to entropy.

But before we shuffle off to

endless evaluation, complaint, cold coffee …

Daring, darling Hope takes stage,

curtsies to the high box crowd,

sings so miraculously strong and loud.

For that eternal moment we are stunned

to applause.

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Make Peace The Issue

May the Fourth be with you

blisstoday, blasttoday

May the Force stay with you

inspire more heroes like

Lucas and Luke

 *

Light sabers, Jedi tricks

Empiric adventure

Scripted for all ages

Fiction distributes truth

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Make Peace The Issue

Stars’ Crossing

Crossed roads, slowly swaying

entrance beads from day to night.

Slip in between to become

for that instant of eternity

dancing gypsy calling to

Moon, to storytelling stars.

Embrace that mystery, train tracking

adventure.  Breathe forgotten fields,

lush or shriveled, dependent on water

and feed.  Let go of all but one brave

hand solidly grasped to the doorway.

Let go; let fingers fall reaching.

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Make Peace The Issue

Tell Me a Story

There are people

who have no loyal dog

to lick their fingers

into calm receptivity.

Have no god who answers

benevolently,

or at all, when harrowing storms

rage against peaceful rallies of witness.

Sometimes a wrong number

is deployed by tortured devils

screeching epithets to curse

and destroy.

The lonely insomniac

drinks elixirs of horrid prescience

from which he cannot awake,

while jovial thief of reason

breathes in the last

existential oxygen.

* 

People like us

hide beneath sacred banners

whispering

strong words

loving sentiment —

for love is not sweet and light

but bitter, strong, energizing,

catalyzing beaten heart into art.

 *

Some call it pain.

Some call it ripping through matrix veil.

Some call it branding scars into defensive arms

that command be respected.

some call it a call to compassion

Some call it a test of will.

Some call it simple cause/effect, self-monitoring,

a warning, a plea for curative care.

Some call it raw sensation

to be interpreted

by me for me

by you for you.

* 

Yes, art reflects. Angst, worry, tension as well

as mindspeak or heartsong or fleeting vision

of perfection,

what we feel, think, know, question —

these are all food for art. We with intent

toward creation create,

with whatever instrument presents.

Move as rhythm explores.

* 

Got the beat,

staccato backbeat,

sure leading pack beat

backed up by bleating sheep

beatific in tingling glory.

Swing that same old story

in new clothes of Emperor’s fame,

sackcloth of crying shame

greatly desired

by those whose entire

fortune consists of dust,

gold like the Sun.

* 

Oh the borders

Oh the cycles

Oh the long rewording, recoding,

reconciling, ever longing, over ‘n’ over

Each rationed drop,

each liquid layer sparkles

and decays.

Designated workday evenings

wonder fetid, over-crowded hallways.

Ghost deserted malls overflow with

buyers’ remorse — “Sold me soul and

all I got was this lousy high interest loan.”

So, no, the promised solace of loyal

service no longer suffices.  To say:

“Better days to come”

no more substantial than moonbeams

— laughter in the night.

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Make Peace The Issue

Love Song to the Queen of May

Electrical air, thunder praised lightning.

Aware, hug of ineffable gaze.

Aglow in nature’s snare.

Natural child.

Let her go wild.

Follow her there.

* 

Enjoy these humble Spring delights,

softened days, enchanted nights.

Flowers of the May Queen,

bright expectant buds

waving, euphoria fragrant,

joyfully risen to

Earth’s celebration.

* 

All that is or ever was or can occur

exists in whirling mists, vast cosmic blur

to set out bit by bit a brilliant poem

weaving eternally our common home.

* 

Perhaps a poem of love,

thick words upon parchment

to hold to, warmly comfort sodden heart.

As flashing floods inundate, suffocate,

cleanse or lacerate from resultant rust.

Such perfumed promise might seem

a heaven sent reminder of what has been,

could become.

Romancers, lovers lifted above rhyme or

rhythmic scheme in perfect tune,

imbued truly with yearning spire of adoration,

create in shining halls of imagination

lyric poetry that never dies.

*

Gushing bloody revelation through fangs sharp and wise.

Temptress, tempestuous, oh tempt me pure and thorough.

Unrestrained wet, red essence

pumping into ecstatic relief.

Hidden as a jungle creature.

Learning by thrill, pagan exultation.

Strong scent of fecund Venus,

lusty scent of earth.

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Make Peace The Issue