Path
Today
Finished
Smile
Friend
Escape
Eastern Temple
To Li Po
Crickets By the Shore
Empty Tunnel
Dancer
Compensation
Fence
The Big Apple
Examples
Portrait
Hope
Musician
Irony
Sweet Angel
Interlude
Maureen
Kitty
Love
Prelude I
Prelude II
Prelude III
Prelude IV
Prelude V
Prelude VI
Prelude VII
LXXII
Gratitude
Gratitude II
Bruton's Parish
City Lights
Evening Spirit
Lead Me
The Lost Reflection
A Thought
Sleep Sweet Child
Mountain Man
A Memory
Let The Bell Sound
Island
Moonlight
Games
An Oil
In 7B
Silently
My Effort
A Drop Of Sweat
Heat
Is It The Wind
Abyss
I Died
Perspective
Matter, Energy, and Time
The Masher
The Scrapbook
Alonzo's Story
Alonzo's Second Story
The Eternal Strand
A Sketch
The Love Of Man
Sweet Lady
The Well
Figure
Nocturne
|
The Poetry
|
The
path is long and often weary
But when I reach the end
And close the door behind
Who shall remember me
After I cross the threshold
What shall I have to leave behind
What shall be there that was mine
To remember
The
past is not forgot
The future always sought
But the present
Seems never in thought
We remember our faults
And hold to our hopes, somehow
But do we look to what we do now
If I live in happiness for today
Then I shall have lived
The
dam the beaver builds
The wood the carver works
What shall he do when he's done
He shall make another one
The book is finished, the play over The mountain is climbed
The song sung
What is lost and what is won
So goes the poem, so goes the letter
When it is done, we hope for a better
If
you have taken the time
To read each rhyme
I have written here
For you
Then I'd like to say
This is the day
I've waited to smile for
And do
For all the good
Or all the bad
We'll be at peace here
For a while
But when there's no more
All will be as before
And we'll remember when
We could smile
If
I cannot give
Though I want to
And you do not want
More than my love for you
If you come to me
When I am in need
And ask for nothing
For your worthy deed
If you understand me
In a fit of fury
And turn not away
When others scurry
Then you are a friend
With none so true
And I am lucky
To be a friend of you
The
long and winding road
The strong and binding load
Does weigh upon the burdened soul
Lead me back along the lilac rows
Take me back
To where the rainbow goes
Beyond them is the goal
Desperate walls create enclosure
A fortress locked in mid-air exposure
Escape and hear the reaper's bell toll
Beyond
the silent shadow
Thy illuminated glory shines
With golden spires
And blazon towers
They stand attentive
Saluting Gabriel's
Taciturn tune
Is
it not enough for one
To view the moonlight
To peer up to the infinite heavens
And absorb its wonders
Looking into the heart
Forever
Keeping memory precious
Beyond any treasure
Until that moment is held again?
Stand by the river
And reach for the moon
But keep your feet on the shore
Or be drowned
In its reflection
To look beyond the clouds no more
Crickets
Play harmonies by the bay
Tame the beating of the water
Evenings
When the sun sails
To the far shore
Leaving the stars to
Gaze into the tide
Endlessly
Sternly
You peer down your
Darkened cavern
Blazing torch in hand
And the mirage of light
You see up ahead
Is merely a reflection
Of the flame
The
dancer
How graceful her moves
Transforming time into
Timeless art
Summoning the hearts
Of those that watch
And experience with her
Every muscle and thought
Expresses her soul
Through music
Every line of her figure
Contoured to perfection
In absolute motion
And beauty
And
so you sweated
For hours aligned
To bring smiles
On lifeless lips
And light song
On heavy hearts
And I joined
For the final spotlight
And then you say you owe me
(Your sincerity has surrounded me
And filled my heart with memories)
I cannot claim it mine
Yonder
The sun is lighter
The loads are lighter
And yonder
The sky is bluer
The hearts are truer
And yet when I
Stroll forth to eye
The fence plank's twin
I observe someone
Looking in
The
sky is dark
Yet hopes are bright
For the journey begins tonight
And while we roll
I see places
And silhouettes
On mirrored faces
Quietly shuffling down the line
Each car answering
To the other's whine
It seems they talk some way
Aging metal moaning
With every gentle sway
Flashing lights and clanging bells
Persist
Steam softly swirling and
Mixing with the mist
The sun slowly coloring
The blackened sky
And soon
Roosters shall make their cry
For the day shall break
And souls slowly awake
When
he hit me
After I plugged in the cord
It was an example
Of his care
When he beat me
After coming in late
It was an example
Of his concern
When he locked me up
After bringing home bad marks
It was an example
Of his affection
When he starved me
After I couldn't find work
It was an example of his love
When I cut my wrists
To lie in my own blood
It was an example
Of mine
That
picture of him
How he smiles
How I know he cares
He cannot talk to me
How I wish he could
He is wise
He is strong
How he longs to give
These things to me
How I long to take them
From him
He cannot hear me
I cannot touch him
Soon there shall be only
That picture of him
Behold
the night descends
And from thus my mind transcends
To wandering thoughts
And in the peaceful stillness
Of that night
I shall deem no marks
Of wrong or right
For I shall stroll beyond
The useless
Through an opaque mist
All emotions are remixed
To form a feeling
One cannot relate
A love inscribed so slight
In mindless thoughts
Of this gentle night
A hope so long away
So I remain
In emotional strain
To ponder
Behold the sun ascends
And beyond the horizon lends
My hope
The musician
How he loves his work
It surrounds him
It astounds him
It is his domain
The musician
Can he love nothing else?
There is no time
So confined
Nothing can interfere
The lover
Who loves the musician
One so few
One so true
Yet a love in vain
The lover
Who must wait aside
Knows the art
Not the heart
Will always be held dear
Gentle
irony -
For years it was me
The master
Breaking hearts like
Long sought acorns
But the winds whistled
And the tables turned
And now my heart is
at the mercy
Of a nutcracker
Sweet
angel
You come
From beyond a delicate dream
And share with me
The sweet secret of the winds
But I have been here
For ancient scores
Staring at the empty sky
And now I think I cannot
Look away
We
have flown
Above a snowy sunrise
At an interlude in time
Resting on a branch
We meet
Though you are free
To fly where you will
We spread our wings
And soar
Together
You
softly came and took my heart
And made it sail a saintly wing.
For once I found a long sought thing
But twas a flame without a start.
Then sadness joined, you'd soon depart.
Oh how my thoughts do vainly sing
Of gladsome lovers in the Spring.
But now I weep, you have my heart.
There'll never be a one so right
Another love I'll never know
And one so pure as with your glow.
Alas, the sadness of that night
Is yon the heart so pained of you
Because, my dear, you never knew.
In
life's mad rush
When all such strife ensues,
And strains of madness
Do engulf the soul,
I feel my mind
And every nerve undo
With loss to find
A peaceful place to go.
But luck to me
I've found a tranquil place
A solitude
Within my own confine
And now the joy
Beams upon my face
I have seen
A marvel so divine
As if it were
A wonder of the world.
I cease all thoughts
And worries of my own
As though my pains
Could mightily be hurled.
I am now weak
From a strength unknown.
You cannot begin to know
How you do so beguile
When I have seen
The beauty of your smile.
True love is like a flower
That can neither be bought
Nor sold
It takes the magic of time
And genuine tenderness
Like cool water
To deepen the roots
And if the flower blooms
And the two can say
I love you
Without uttering a sound
Then it is love
And it is
Beautiful
Water
Crystalline cascades
Breberubling over the rocks
Placid warmth
The stinging chill of winter
Melting away
New faces
Carrying old memories
And forever feelings
The water rushes on
Beyond the swaying planks
And scorned stones
The light wind lingers
Among empty cans
And dried grass
Though many tread
The wooden bridge
No one sees the
Drowned clown
Even in rare moments
Of hushed stillness
The sounds of life remain:
As raindrops dance
On outstretched leaves
Lightly murmuring
A gentle lullaby
And birds scurry by
Careful not to miss
Their opportunity
And the woodpecker hunts
In motoric motion -
Colors bright
And in those quiet
Times
The rhythmic chorus
Can be heard from
Afar
Fly
with the Phoenix
Rise
From the fires
The ashes
The smoke
Raging flames leap
From unseen tinder
Expelling scorching
Blistering heat
And above
Beyond
From red blaze
To blue sky
Sailing
Soaring
Fly with the Firebird
Away with your
Fantasy
And ride
The free air
A
monument sublime
Reaching heavenward
Peering through misty skies
Over moonlit waters
For all eyes to see
The mighty river
Carries its ancient tales
Battles won and wars fought
And on its shores
Lovers dream
Amidst green grass
That carpets the ground
And its blades
Remember the sounds
Of those who have trod
All is serene
In a living portrait
A scene so tranquil
Full of grandeur beauty
And emotion
The
quiet stillness
Invokes
Wishes
Dreams
And Hopes
Upon the soul
Thoughts like an attic
A cat on the roof
And through
The mangled cobwebs -
A hope chest
A
Love seat
The
lazy circle turns
slowly churns
always turns
And in a distant perimeter
another diameter
distant perimeter
Silenced sleigh bells ring
gently sing
lightly ring
Hearkening joy untimely
unthoughtfully
untimely
Sensations syncopated
disseasonedable
In
the quiet of a long winter night
The fire pops and hisses
Warming chilled bones
And sparking smiles
Its crimson coals
Project shadowy dances
And the heat
Reaches out to those
Huddled around the embers
Bonding them in
Friendship
suchis
thest
O
ryofour
(lifew)
eawakenwe
sleeptodayands
O
f
O
rever
toworkt
O
waitandw
O
rryover
a
ndagain
suchis
thest
O
ryofour
(lifew)
ThOughMy
yOunghear
TsearcHEs
theRearen
oWordsIkn
owTHatteL
lOfthegra
titudeiha
VEforyou
ThOughY
OUdidn
otunDe
restAnD
youwer
ethere
In
soft sorrow
We all conceive:
The simple lives
Of life relieved
Ominous silence
Fills the air
As the eternal words
Reflect the glare
Of the lights
The soft-glow streetlights
Standing there
City
lights
Like distant stars
Sparkle along the night's
Asphalt scars
The leaves sway
Whispering in their way
Against the skylight's
Mild rhythm
Rosy
red or hearty burgundy
Your translucent softness
Shines in the glow
Of the flickering candlelight
The sweet aroma
Of your grape essence
(once lightly kissed
by the warm sun)
fills me
With you
Your patience to savor
I feel the warmth
I feel the solitude
I see grand visions
And I sense the music
Of lingering melodies
And soft lips
Darkened
mist
Whirling patterns of confusion
Paths with no direction
Forever continuing into
Empty infinity
Faces Names Expectations
Demanding simple simplicity
To its own distinction
And yet
Beyond complacency's tawny mask
I see a glimpse of my heart
Insoucient organ of emotion -
Lead me
If
I had but
Yesterday
The whats I should have
The hows I might have
If I had but
Once before
Long ago
I watch the seconds tick
Wishing the one that had passed
Was another
That I might have
Like so many times before
The empty present
Is only part of the lost past-
Slips through my fingers
If I had but
To turn around
Methinks
I think too much
I think
Maybe I shouldn't think so
And ponder not such
Heavy thoughts
Of things and people
Oh but how thoughtless
Life could be lighter
And a little brighter but
I think I think on things
That I think maybe
I think I shouldn't
I think
I'll think on it
Shapes
In dim light
Undefined in line or form
Melt with mixed colors
On the wall
Dying
The golden light
Strains to touch
Rooftops and windows
And the lines of a face
Ah,
my friend
Your ego stretches
Like a mountain
Stands tall
Unmovable
There comes a knock
At my door
And I bid you enter
But alas
A mountain will not fit
Through my door
A
memory
(lingering in the wake)
Of nothing
The ripple
Crosses the current
Following
Leading
Going ever outward
Onward
(looking to the resolution)
Of nothing
Let
the bell sound
Of silver - of gold
Of a hope bold
Let it ring - let it sing
Like a heart
In merriment found
After twenty score
And forty four
They are free - they are free
From the hands of tyranny
Let us hope
Only hope
That this shall be
An injustice done no more
waves
wateret
waveseva
wateretaw
waves awat
water waves
waves water
water waves
waves water
water waves
waves water
water waves
waves water
wateretawaves
wavesevaw
wateretaw
wavesev
moOn
light
laced
over hills
of rippling
water
glimmers there on
the
backs
of gliding waves
Starlight
wrapped in folds
and
soft
caresses of
the
night wind's cool
breath
dissipates
onto
the
sandy
profile
Johnny-
Little arms
Uneroded
Innocent
A body bare of
Emotion's futility
With a smile wet as
Dew drenched petals
Tiny buds await blossom
He thinks of
Make believe games
Hollywood dreams
And watches cotton puff
Clouds
Carry childhood characters
Across the sky
Off
in a city corner dark
Away from the internal roar
The streets lay in silent anticipation
And in their arms reaching upward
Of wood and heavy iron
Sit windows coldly staring in
(decrepit images
part the darkened shades)
Shadows hide from dim bare lights
Reflecting the illusiveness
Of their arms
Puddles of filth
Distort their hidden faces
So dry
They fade and melt together
Doorways
Alleyways
Peer out beyond the mist
Gripping the cobblestone in their
Ghastly gaze
Silver
wings graze
The Earthen sheath
Ascension from the market square
The frail creature
Has conquered the sky
Once again
Structures of the culture
Become patches and parallels
To one in 7B
A hallowed panorama once
Solely the eagle's own
Is but
Another trip for 7A
So
beautiful the sight
Falling
Spiraling
Tumbling
floating floating floating
Swaying
Glistening
Outstretched droplets of
Innocent white
Lingering downwards to blanket
(silently)
The troubled trampled dirt
(so silently)
In its purity
Eyes
like empty stones
Searing into the darkness
I did not see
All the painful endless effort
To do the seemingly
Effortless
Meant little in the end
To those smiling faces
Sneering
Whispering hollow clouds of air
I tried so much
To prove me
But it was only
My effort
They cheered and loved me for
A
drop of sweat
Trickles down
Beyond
A wrinkled brow
Along a nose
Filled with an acrid stench
Across a lip
Pursed in determination
Until it reaches
And drops from a sturdy chin
Falling
Through the century of a second
(with its millennium
of hopes and dreams)
Into
A drop of blood
In
the
h
e
a
t
of
h
e
a
t
in the
h
e
a
t
your
touch
cools
me
Is
it the wind
Is it the wind
That whispers in the trees
From Auschwitz and Dachau
Echoing their pleas
The screams and cries
Are silent now
And the rocks and trees
Disguise
The horror
A fate
No words can relate
But they remember
Is it the wind
That whispers in the trees
Remember me
Remember me
A l the w rld li ing in p ace
I
died -
Dandelion cotton puffs
Without the wind
To move them
Wither
(I realized)
So I died
A scar
A blotch, a blur
A wrinkle
Is forever
Until you die
A man
Like other faces
With no bodies
Raised a great hammer
Above all our heads
And I didn't like that
Just didn't like that
So I died
A
headache -
Because the world's problems
Press upon you
With unyeilding weight
And yet
We are but a speck
On the face of the world
And the world is
A speck in the system
And so it is with the system
Amidst the galaxy
And the galaxy
Amidst the universe
And the great darkness
Of the universe
(yet to be filled with problems)
Is but a freckle
On the cheek of the
Unknown master
Sitting
Pondering a world full of problems
The
masher
Huge
Dark
Held by hands
Oblivious to all below it
Comes down repeatedly
On broken shells
That once gave shelter
To little chicks
Now hatched
Now taken
To be raised
To bear eggs
Little shells
Down it crashes
A chick
Is shoved away
From the others
Who will sit and cluck
and lay and lay
because it is not yellow
It is black
And there is no place
For a black chick
So it sits
On the conveyer belt that leads
To a pile of broken shells
The masher
The chick
They meet
A
hand
Worn of age
Passes through a crop of
Thin gray hair
As it has years
Of passive existence
And clears the way
For a well worn cap
Eyes
shut tight -
She does not see
Forms of bodies
Brushing by
Expressionless
Moving stiffly
As Autumn leaves sway
Downward
"I must, I must,"
She whispers
Hands clenched,
"I must reach Heaven
Forever,
Forever"
Faces
talking at me
Intermittent visions
Of hollow mouths
Words
Like shells
Bombarding my little world
While others
Proclaim their own worth
Their sounds
Mingle against a melody
And oh!
That harmony -
It takes me
And I drift away
Away
Away
I
have traversed the stars
Before their radiance pierced
The darkness
And their twinkling luminance
Touched lover's hearts
I have warmed the cool winds
With the song of the morning lark
And cooled the day's heat
At the whispers of the nightingale
I have danced with the leaves
Of the trees
And repeated echoes
Of raindrops on glistening rocks
Before the poet
Recorded my relentless effort
I have soothed the savage fury
And inspired the saddened heart
To the noble cause
And led the defended
To remember the patriot
I
am for all living souls
The simple, the complex
For the free and the oppressed
For those who look beyond
The whirling winds of frustration
I am the seed of emotion
and the expression of triumph
The personal possession
Of a single soul
Or the proclamation
Of a joyful multitude
I am from no beginning
And will continue to no end
Abounding in all
The mind can perceive
And more
For I am Music
Rooftops
and treetops
Chimneys
Thrusting out from
Blankets of shimmering white
Attic windows
Strain to see
Icicles filled with sunshine
Dripping down
From heavy burdened wires
And breaking
Falling
To the unscathed
White velvet softness
BelowThe Love Of Man
For the love of God
There is religion;
A religion
For the love of God
And the love of man,
The love of man
For man
A man had a love
A love for a woman
A woman who grew to care
To care for his injury
An injury that swept away
His power to walk
And his power to create a one
One who would grow
To see their love
A love restricted
Restricted by their religion
A religion that will not consummate
A two with one
Who cannot consummate his love
A love for his lover
And his religion
A religion
For the love of God
And the love of man
For man
Dear
sweet lady
Countless dawns have passed
That you have set aglow
But now
A single light
Burns in the big house
Home
I
saw a well
Along the road
and stopped -
wondering:
How many had stopped before me
To write about this well
How many had rested weary elbows
Upon the rough brick
And stared into
Its dark dry chasm
How many had stared so long
Until they nearly fell in
How many feared the black
Of what they could not see?
I wondered
And then I turned
(knowing that all roads
eventually lead to it)
And walked and walked.
A
shrouded figure
Moves in the sunlight -
An old lady
Wearing a scarf
Wrapped around her face
A long coat
Gloves
While the sun shines
On bronze legs
And scarlet faces
She walks
Bundled in wraps
Covering her face
She is there
When we go by
And each of us fears
She may be everywhere
Melodic
murmurings
Tiptoe
Lightly up the stairs
Towards my vacant ears
And my drowsy eyes
I strain to ward off slumber
And hear the
Syncopated distant
Conversations
That melt together
And become a soft
Lullaby
My Poetry:
Book One
