Poems

Democracy

Genius is rare. Democracy

Has no effect on that.

If every soul in Christendom

Wrote a couple books,

Universally

They'd all be bad.

And everyone writes poetry

Because he has a soul.

It takes more than suicide

And god to make a poet.

But just suppose that everyone

Had talent. Then the world

Might have a lot of operas,

And not a lot of wars.

7-5-13

 

The First Blow

Imagine an infant's surprise

Receiving his mother's first blow!

The shock and disorientation -

The sudden quick change of the world -

Sanity lost and forgotten -

And momma's the face of the earth,

Now and forever. Amen.

7-5-13

Two Books

More like a sad and bitter,

Not an outraged bully venting,

I just read two books that came

Today I'd only written.

And I am almost satisfied.

Return to poesy.

Some anger in the stanzas,

But poesy is all.

To put into a poesy

The affect of sweet sleep.

7-5-13

Immortality

Keats wrote about such silly things,

But what? I don't remember.

The Grecian myths are beautiful

Reflections of the soul.

Or other lengthy narratives.

His choice and his endeavor.

Rupert Brooke wrote little scenes

And stories I recall,

And of the few he wrote,

I like even less.

To be a poet in the world -

Read a thousand years -

One among a million poets -

What's the good of that?

When you want to be a star

That's brighter than the sun.

Such is Sappho thought of,

But her poetry is gone.

Though my body will decay,

But not the poetry -

With no image of myself

And one of several names.

7-5-13

 

I am going crazy

I am going crazy

Sitting here in Denny's.

My thoughts change, I'm not

Thinking what I thought.

Fantasies that burgeon

When I fall asleep

Terrorize me.

When I wake it's worse.

If I could write a poem

Describing what I feel,

I would be a curiosity.

I'm not getting stronger.

I found the lych gate open.

Gradually I am disappearing.

7-5-13

The Modern World

Stupid minds and blunted wits

Go for you on Amazon

If you don't agree with their opinions.

Most unhelpful.

And the songs of Hart and Porter

Irk the modern ear.

Preferring rap -

Death by mutilation.

7-5-13

 

Animals

Animals are independent.

Such autonomy!

They do not need support or fear

The loneliness of night.

They do not get tattoos or cry

For camaraderie.

They do not need a god to give them

Courage in their battles,

Or comfort them or give them wealth

Or promise them salvation.

7-5-13