Poetry

Ever seen those guys playing their music? Rock and roll, rhythm and blues, classical or jazz.   It doesn’t matter what. They jive. They play their music. They listen to each other, fall in and out, nod and smile.   Ever seen those guys playing their politics? Can’t hit a single note. Got no rhythm.…

A woman is singing at a banquet. Over one thousand people are eating and talking and no one can see the head table without binoculars. There is so much noise. The woman is singing at a banquet. She’s getting paid. She has a microphone. She loves music. It doesn’t matter. No one is listening. The…

I am the great God Con Ve Nience. Sacrifice to Me. Give Me everything. Sacrifice your time in the hunger for more time. Give to Me your treasure in the thirst for more treasure. Sacrifice quality, craftsmanship, reliability, dependability, durability and endurance for the sake of Me, always Me and Myself. I am Con Ve…

In the old days a man faced a six foot plank with a rip saw and he wanted two planks so he began. He marked the plank with a ruler and a pencil and he drew a line where he wanted to saw and he began. He began to saw all the way down that…

It isn’t really about the nicotine or the tars and resins. It isn’t about the warnings. It’s really about the snap of the lighter when you shut it, the placement of the flame so close to your face, the first wraith of smoke ascending into the air like your life and the love you feel…

They cut the power today to work on the lines. The computer went off. The lights went off. The refrigerator went off. The garage door wouldn’t open. I wanted to mow the yard. The door has a release. I opened it by hand. When it happens you learn a few things. You learn how important…

I learned to row a long time ago, in a boat with my name on the bow, given to me by my grandfather who built it with his hands, the hands I inherited. The boat is gone, but I learned to row a long time ago.   Slow and steady, all day long, all night…

He’s gone now, my stupid dog with his stupid grin and the floppy ears tattooed for racing.   He’s gone now with his elegant stance and his beautiful eyes and his fast, keen wisdom.   He’s gone now and all the thousands of times I let him out in the middle of the night are…

May the dogs you have killed haunt you. May the coyotes and foxes and raccoons you have slain awaken and come together and speak the same language and find you. May they squeeze from their loins and guts the essence of what you left for them to find and may they feed it to you.…

The floor needs sweeping. The dog needs food. Odds and ends need keeping. The garbage must go out. The job is only money. Money goes away. The world turns automatically and misery stays. The railroads would be dandy, but railroads don’t run. People do what they do of necessity or fun. Love is such a…