Cat

i watch my cat knead the faux fur pillow
her black glows brown in the sunlight
i have no time for my yard
let the weeds grow
i have no time for my neighbor
let the distance grow
but i have time to sit and watch my cat
the way her fur ripples with each breath

I, America

in the hellfires of freedom
reforge your golden crown
else it all else it all fall down

i, America
shake
off the heroes become weapons
resist the hero’s complaint
turn to the song of the common people
a song of death
a song of misery
sung with grace and enmity
stung with peace and tragedy

i, America
raise the colors of my country
front and center
listen
listen
listen

the heroes have all gone
it’s just us now
it’s just us now
speak up now

On Still Mountains

echoes of a King
rustle like wind through the crowd
none are moved
none are moved now

on still mountains
we are the sole voice
low on air
we have one chant to sustain us

but all we can say
all we can think
i can’t breathe
i can’t breathe

echoes of a King
rustle like wind through the crowd
none are moved
none are moved now

Shadow

pray for me, sister
the shadow has fallen
and no sweet smile can untuck his hand
from mine
will i walk with shadow all the time

pray for me, sister!
his feet are lockstep with mine
the devourer’s fill cannot come this time
i am too weak for the climb
must i walk with shadow all the time

pray for me, sister!
our swords are crossing
my steps are slowing
just one good thrust and I’m through
must i fight this shade all the time

yes, yes, yes
i will

Why I don’t talk much at parties No.2

i once avoided shows and desserts and movies simply because they were popular. It happened again tonight. i ordered a cake because the layers had been brushed with chocolate milk. Yeah. Big failure at home it was. I’ve always wanted something else to be created- so when there’s something new i think- support that. When i was a teen, i wanted a discerning tongue and eye and nose. so i watched out there shows- some of which i loved like Harold and Maude. But then i watched an episode of Friends and laughed. and thought what’s this? the masses may have it right. just they’re missing all these great shows being right with their shows. I’m a complete idiot ignoring something just because it’s popular and you’re a complete idiot for ignoring something just because it is not popular with the masses. There’s a whole world outside the masses and a whole one worth living inside the masses too. all of us- idiots. try a piece here or there and then come over to British comedy, dramas, just all things British. on a British kick at the moment. speaking of British, I’m in need of a loo. Anyone care to point me? Ah, yes. I see.

Why I don’t talk much at parties No. 1

attraction is funny
you can take two well-matched people
and they’ll attract
snap
and suddenly they should get married
or be kissing in trees
when attraction isn’t sexual
it’s spiritual
society has sold it as a love story
when it’s not
it’s metaphysical
how blessed life would be if we could have multiple soulmates. Friend’s a soulmate. Boss is a soulmate. Brother is a soulmate. Mother- soulmate. Wife- soulmate. do we think we know just one person up there? everybody going on about finding their soulmate. I’m sure we know tons of people in heaven- and some we begged to meet again. and given the opportunity, wouldn’t you recognize that friend on some level. feel a pull. Attraction is funny because we often get it wrong. Attraction is bigger than you or me- it’s a call to either the senses or the spirit. senses make you howl like a dog. spirit makes you sit up and listen. so listen already. anybody want some punch? I’m heading over to- the – the food table.

The Bad Crush

i had a crush
a bad crush
the kinda crush that makes you think the other guy’s got a crush
on you
and i was above it all
not a toe cross the line
until i couldn’t see him at all
oh, i had a bad, bad crush
the kind you can’t tell no one bout
not even the crush
but i did good things for him
and wished him good thoughts
and in all that good i got caught
in a crush
a bad, bad, bad crush
the kinda crush you tell people he has
on you
cause it’s true
then it’s not
but you still have that bad, bad, bad, bad crush
i think i can see him again without looking away
i think i could even smile
a little
little smile
that has nothing to do with him at all
i think i can glow by myself again
and not wish to step up and out again
if he enters a room
i think i could write one last poem for him
even a bad bad bad bad bad one
and leave it at that

or maybe two