No More No Less

What you see is what you get…

there’s no accounting for taste…

always right there before you…

don’t jump to conclusions…

first, look, then you can see…

it’s back to the senses… 

back to the senses now…

now senses the to back.

After The Ball

After all the jokes and laughter,

the drunken indiscretions,

the awards and celebrations,

they retreat to safe spaces and

leave the mess for the cleaning crew.

On to the next foreplay!

Next foreshadowing!

The next cycle of the so called life!

Work and achievement!

Accumulating wealth over a pile of dead bodies!

Survival of the fittest!

The best looking with gleaming teeth!

The best cars fashions mansions!

It’s the way of the world!

No one’s made it that much better!

Even living longer is not a blessing!

Maybe we’ll figure it out if we get 

to the moon or Mars!

Why does the Homosap always want

to look somewhere else?

“Is dis an Evolution?”

Western mind stunted by rational thought.

All the yogis starving in their caves.

A New Golden Age!

That’s a good one!

When was the last one?!

Was there ever even one?!

Hope and fear make us queer!

Buzz Lightyear, please save us from ourselves!

Post Script:

Anyway, it’s a good day…

Beautiful weather, not in pain…

People passing don’t bother me…

Lord knows, if there is One,

I won’t save the world…

I’m not even sure I should have tried…

some people get it…some always do…

I can’t be sure I’m talking to them…

I’m just keening at a campfire,

sounds and feelings,

looking at the stars.

Feeling No Pain

The doc cured me….for now…

no pain is sheer bliss just feeling normal

not distracted by something about to fall off…

more man than automaton…for now.

Reality didn’t change when I was indisposed…

it’s as clear now as it ever has been

a diamond in the rough occasionally sparkles 

“What was that?” I always hear them say.

If the body is not distracted the mind can look

around be interested notice the irony of flowers

a child babbling happily walking down the street…

I hope you’re not heartless just saying.

Not waiting for vacation Carpe Diem play them

if you’ve got them you could die on stage in front 

of a thousand people it’s happened more than once

and I’m stuck with an empty line to finish this stanza.

“Nature finds a way.” That is, creativity, nature’s way…

Evolution is nature’s way of saying: “What else can we know?”

That’s why Buddha looked at his own mind and found…

everything…

it was so profound what he discovered that it took him 

the rest of his life to train his students so they could hear.

Nature finds a way.

Precarious Life

Each day is more valuable, at least 

it seems that way.

Each smile each kind gesture is seen

with more clarity…

appreciated so much…

sight sounds smells are there without distraction…

wisdom blazes in ordinary lives…

if only they could see what I see

before the curtain falls…

it’s such a miracle to be in the middle of it all.

The tragedy of familiarity.

The one that comes to the party that we’re 

not sure of…

don’t know what to expect…

if they’ll make a scene

make a scene

make a scene

make a scene…

the play’s the thing in which the truth is revealed…

repetition  is how we learn…

that monkey wrench in the works

is maybe the only thing the guests will remember…

he knew he was there…

as I do sitting on the sidewalk…

one thing about Mexicans:

if they fall, they don’t have far to go.

Sitting on the sidewalk…

standing on the edge of a cliff…

waiting for a little push…

trying to write my way out

of a paper bag…

on the edge of a cliff..

on a world…

in the universe.

Wind Blew Out The Lights

Wind comes up suddenly, but not this time of year,

but it did…

Everything’s crazy…

I’m full of medicine for some hurty things…

I let it be hurty for a month, hoping it would get better…

It didn’t so I went  to the doctor who gave me medicine…

It got better…

When you’re not in pain, you don’t remember how it felt…

When you’re not in love it’s the same…

Leave it on the credenza…

we’ll deal with it later or maybe

we won’t deal with it at all…

that’s where I leave what’s left of my life…

all the things I haven’t done are there…

everything left is there…

like mother’s dressing table…

like where dad works in the garage…

like a graveyard a junkyard a firing range…

like the back nine.

Hours until the power comes back on…

the winds…

one of those…

the sheep are talking a lot right now…

nothing to do but write…

if I had a reverie to trip out on, go beyond 

imaginary walls…

into space over mountains rivers valleys

all of it and then some for a long time

that would be good…

stuck with an open doorway to a balcony…

hey, Mr. Spaceman, wouldn’t you please take me along

I won’t do anything wrong…

I must be guilty of something,

or I haven’t lived…

I’ve seen enough…things…

I can take a hint…

“Don’t get heavy with the heavies.”

It’s not even that interesting.

If they cause too much trouble take them out back

and feed them to the hogs…

and when the hogs are through put them on the credenza.

The power has been on for days…

I haven’t felt like writing…

I don’t feel like writing now.

Venice

My situation melts into a Venice-like milieu,

peaceful, lush, vast, unassuming people, music

beats in the background, a black dog with a grey

speckled scarf wanders gleefully.

Pastel rainbow streamers hang over the streets.

The air is perfect.

I can almost hear the waves on the dock,

the low horn sounds of the ships.

Iteration Two

Music like sounds over water, down alleys

mixed with traffic sounds, human voices,

klink klank, buzz whirr, honk shout cry.

no, but clear air, colored flowers on mountains,

full of medicine, a little weak….a bag of water.

that’s when you know something’s going on.

no but just a little fresh air is so refreshing

the beauty of what is there

just a slight distraction sticking out as special

amid all the things there an anomaly out of

place and time unique steampunk or hyperborian,

or I’m making the whole thing up,

and back again.

Because The Music!

“Music hath charm to soothe the savage breast.”

It’s mantra! 

It’s a magic spell!

Psychological Realism!

You can’t say it’s not true!

The music never stops!

So much could be said!

I’ll leave it at that!

I Want To Act Out!

I want to act out and be crazy 

as a refreshing change of pace for the reader!

Put down your bills!

Turn off the television!

Dancing in the streets!

I saw an old old man dancing!

He was putting the moves on!

The marching band was down the street!

He was alone on the sidewalk dancing away!

He smiled at me as I watched him!

But I didn’t join him! 

He was enough!

Feet Of Strength

I walked a lot today,

even though I had the flue.

Hydroxychloroquine made

it possible.

I walked six blocks to my friend’s house,

got stoned 

which helped and made things harder….

walked back six blocks….

walked five more blocks to the doctor…

postponed until tomorrow….

five more blocks to the store…

a block to the bus…

my puppies are barking.

I just kept going until I was done.

Something More…

You know you want it….

You’re only human…

Can’t blame you if you’re human…

Either something you never had

or more of the same that you always liked…

I’m not telling you what you don’t know…

We all want a last cigarette before the

firing squad…

Some want a blindfold…

How is that different than their whole lives…

You find yourself n a situation right now…

If it’s stayed the same for a long time maybe

you don’t even notice it much anymore…

Just go along to get along because it’s safe…

I’m not putting it down…

It’s something that happens….

It usually comes with a hollow feeling from time 

to time an emptiness that makes you go to Church 

and fill with God…

That’s not everyone…

It’s the default setting for many…

God or another flavor of life saver….

Maybe pineapple this time…

A vacation on the Isle of Capri…

Frankly I’d like to go there a mild fantasy….

So you see we’re not that different…

All humans…

Homosaps that forgot to evolve…

Maybe next time…

Just Getting Started!

If you thought that other poem was 

a one off you’re sadly mistaken!

I’m just getting started!

I’m a cranky old man sans shotgun!

But I’m loaded with words!

No more Mr. Nice Guy!

No wonder there’s so much random violence!

The world is run by Satanic pedophiles!

And it shows!

How’s that working out for us!

OK! They bring signs to protests sure!

They’ve also started bringing guns!

Who are these brainwashed morons anyway!

Generations of young people are ruined!

They’ll never have normal lives might as well 

march them straight into the ocean!

I’m not exaggerating!

Use you god dammed eyeballs!

I left America twenty years ago!

I felt it going to shit back then!

My opinion hasn’t changed!

And it’s getting worse!

Is Trump going to save the world!

The last time the world relied one man

they crucified him!

Then they started a cult in his name!

They completely ignored his teachings 

and killed and plundered the world as 

much as they could!

And they called it religion!

The history you read and believe 

is a bunch of lies!

Rockefeller paid for the education of

young teachers in the 20’s and then 

told them what to teach!

That’s your history right there!

They have a word, sheeple, because it’s true!

You need a 2 x 4 upside the head!

I’m just getting started!

Wanna Buy A Pencil?

Hey! I’m doing this for a living!

Actually, if that was true…

I wouldn’t be alive by now!

Nobody reads anymore!

Let alone poetry!

If you can call it that!

I stopped reading years ago!

Everything I know I learned

from Chris Farley and Celine!

Maybe I should hang myself

with a noose!

In the Art Institute of Chicago!

Then I’d be an exhibitionist!

Is my mic on?!

Can you hear me?!

This one I’d love to read out loud!

Really really loud!

Really really really loud!

In public in front of strangers!

They wouldn’t be strangers anymore!

They might think I’m Hitler’s son!

How else did he get so famous?!

He was a shitty painter!

But he was fantastic at talking really really loud!

I think I’ve stumbled onto something!

Finally a good idea after all these years!

I think it’s too late but I’m willing to try!

Here goes!

Wait!

I’m already doing it!

Now that I’m doing it I don’t know how to stop!

I think Hitler had the same problem!

When he didn’t yell in public he yelled at his generals!

They tried to blow him up to get him to stop!

It didn’t work!

He kept yelling!

How will I stop!

I’ll just get tired of writing!

Carnival 2026

Like Mardi Gras, only cheesier…

cheap rides in the town square,

Chinelos, locals dressed in costumes 

mocking their conquerors, dancing

for hours on end to Mexican oompa

music.

They’re trying to curb the drinking 

in town which is more than excessive,

but drinkers will drink…maybe they’ll 

be a few fewer deaths, but there’s always

a handful.

I’m glad they know how to party, enjoy

life, which America needs to learn more…

too serious up there, all about the money.

People up Norde retire but never can relax.

It took me ten years or more to finally let

go of my intense plumber persona.

You can learn from anyone.

Day In Day Out

Day in, day out,

just another day,

nothing to get excited about

unless you count diminishing returns

a slow death that takes a lifetime 

however long that is no telling.

The older I get the more the writing

seems like notes passed in grade school 

just to get around the teacher.

The longer I live the less I care about

making a good impression.

The long and boring denouement.

The third act when everything has

already been decided and worked out.

Colonel Kurt’s death you could say was

a climax, but you could see it coming,

somewhat anti climactic really, but the

beat went on as bloody Willard who still

had to live the rest of his life with what

he knew and what he had done, 

anti hero if there ever was one.

I wonder if I’ll even see the hidden truth

of my world that has been filled with lies

since before I was born before I’m gone.

If not it’s ok, I know anyway, there are

enough rumors floating around that 

outline a grim reality even history tries

to hide.

Look alive and be quick about it,

gather the rosebuds while you may,

Carpe diem is all the time you have.

A degree is only a matter of degrees.

Love is real if you’re not a psychopath.

Truth is beautiful if you can see it that way.

The little voices in your head only are a fog.

Getting from A to B is a lost cause because

no one really gets anywhere else not right here.

If you can get here, you’d be home by now,

where the heart is, where you started from

and lost along the way, if so.

Square one was never as important as it is now.

Get back, Jo Jo, to where you once belonged.

Repetition is how we learn.

For All The Marbles (for the Captain)

Perfect contractual checkroom number

“Next!” 

was heard to be said over loudspeaker 

in the plaza overlooked by Lord Nelson.

“You can’t make this stuff up!”

somewhere preserved on dime store tape

recordings of whale song Indian chants

ululations faint forgotten echos who knows.

Akashic telemarketers continue nonetheless.

It all makes sense until it doesn’t and Vice 

Versa the rest is yet to come who’s ready?

The fumigator is on an automatic timer.

Pest pestilence perpetual especially human

say the intolerant over achievers if they’d

just be not where I can see them …

this is your life remember simple math 

is comfortable given quantum chaos but fear

is, as Dune knows, the mind killer so be 

careful what you ingest into body mind you

never know where the next revelation is 

coming from which is why our eyes open 

at all ever if only we would be willing to see.

Words have no meaning until the mind reads

like seeing shooting stars in that vast space.

One Size Fits All

Little screaming aliens out of the womb,

the right hole except occasional Caesareans

(more like in the movie).

It takes a while before they look human…

luckily they do so not rejected as abominations.

Gradually accreting lives, habits, characteristics 

that make them think they are unique, better than

others at some things, richer, more power, looking

down their noses at others who never get a break,

don’t have a silver spoon…comparing always

comparing as if that will make them feel any better.

Inevitable march of time for all programmed to a

grave conclusion. Maybe one’s casket is a little 

bigger, more ornate than the neighbor’s.

The daisies we push up don’t seem to notice,

memorials fade into the future…

“What was that?” the final question before the

lights go out forever.

One More Time

Jacaranda purple blossoms flower now

marking my journey through time again

around the sun in cosmic dance begun

so long ago memory escapes me only

each again day reminds I’m still alive

more and more barely I survive not sure

what I’ve done to help this fragile world 

matters in the play of events unfolding

ever changing driven louder energetically 

amplified by new tools of electronic reach

one would hope would make more clarity

but competition rears its ugly head into 

even that muddying what could be obvious 

but everyone wants a piece of the action a

seat at the feast so the louder it gets the less

we can actually see the brilliance of simplicity

Jacaranda blossoms ephemeral joy that may

be the last beauty of truth’s mystery.