Derisive Action

Chorus of woe.

Not ours to do.

Pesky tasks for vague thems

to assume.

Most human of vainglorious attributes.

In gathered room of prayer, con-solace,

commoners sing of pestilence.

So pleasant a dingy air.

Cronies, kin, at one in entrained disdain.

Don’t come crying to us when your fancy plans

to have us all be haves and happy can’t become

a cause that leaps with us all as brilliant flame.

We can’t be responsible, aren’t the abling crew.

As ours are trained, we do: roll eyes and complain.

Nothing But Sad Blues

Thought I’d do well by doing good

Entertain in my neighborhood

Did some tricks, told some jokes

Sang my heart out to those hometown folks

But after the show when I tracked down the man

Seems paying my share wasn’t part of his plan

It was then I knew that I’d been had

.

It ain’t funny

got no money

It ain’t nothing but sad

 .

You who sold your soul and

spent the money

not so cunning

not so funny

. 

And I wonder why I bother

I wonder why I try

when it’s so hard to make a living

hurting like I wanna die

 .

Just another sad life

. 

Ain’t no way to matter cause I ain’t got a dime

Can’t hire a lawyer to tell my side of the crime

Got no contract to stake my claim

Got no position of power or name

Ain’t no good to even get mad

 .

Just another sad lie,

such a sad life

 .

Can we open up and keep it real

touch to feel

silk to steel

. 

It ain’t funny

got no money

It ain’t nothing but sad

. 

At least, I thought, I done some good

Giving some joy to the neighborhood

But folks just grumbled ’bout their day

‘Bout their no account boss and mighty slim pay

Yeah, what do we get for feeling so bad

. 

People going through their daily paces

leaving traces

crying faces

 .

People talking ’bout their daily trouble

seems to double

dreams to rubble

. 

And I wonder why I bother

I wonder why I try

when it seems we’re only living

cause we’re too in debt to die

 .

It ain’t funny

got no money

nothing but sad

..

.

Shared Summer Leaves (for Peggy)

Shared Summer Leaves

(for Peggy)

. 

 .

Plot keeps us moving

conflicts, obstacles

from concept to theme.

Show of our qualities,

characteristic strategies

how people change

dramatically, comedically,

through relationship or revelation

or how we resolutely refuse

to change despite ardent

catalysts.

Sitting in your kitchen

drinking wine and sharing plotlines

leading to the lives we share

here in safe eternity

I feel your joys, moments of doubt,

your poignant tragedies and resilient reclamations

Your brilliant smile, contagious laugh,

ebullient embrace carry me beyond

enduring sorrows.

A fallen sparrow nurtured,

a flower coaxed to glory,

a simple girlhood story spanning wars,

historic empathies.  Cuttings

cultured from days before language

continue chains

of synchronicity, plotlines leading me

to find

our brief exchange

Strands of interactive dna

move us forward into more complete

meeting.

.

.

A Different Voice

“Mommy, don’t make me!

Don’t keep me and hate me.

Your poisoned womb

tears my soul.

Please let me go.”

 .

“Child, it will be alright.

I’ll give you to outraged strangers

who have prayed for your life.”

. 

“No, Mommy.  Don’t you see?

I am your destiny.

Release me from mortal penitence.  Do what you must.

In this tiny voice, put your trust.

Grieving, set my spirit free.

You know this is meant to be.

We both know how much you care.

This choice is your cross to bear.”

.

.

Since 1776

The right amount of government —

just enough to protect our freedom

project without destroying it.

Just government

affirms and honors everyone

without denying anybody’s choice

to voice dissent.

But who decides what that line is,

each with our own dispositions?

It may be up to fate expressed as

social evolution.

Not a satisfactory solution

for we who cannot wait.

Unforced tragedies; hoped for remedies

destroyed, lives at  forfeit now

to silly designations of traits

deemed acceptable

to the respectable

who rule the day.

While  self integrity is so disrespected,

devalued, expect those

learning their behaviors from

the crowd

to coldly laugh and kill.

If such is the will of the people …

ignoble death is what we freely choose.

Those who would desist

charged not worthy to exist.

Instead of discourse, reason,

hyped Reality TV fights

define, distribute  wrongs and rights.