Poems

Angels

When Christians cuss they don't say “god”

Because he might not like it.

One must be very careful not to

Jeopardize one's wings.

Infrequently I see a car

Polished and expensive

With a sign upon it, “There are

Angels watching me.”

Some stickers just say “Dodgers”.

Angels are big downy things

With long and flapping feathers,

A fluffy little bit of tail

Like chickens, and a halo.

12-1-12

 

The Poet Laureate

Tattoos and redneck, philistine, clown -

Poets who knock all the barriers down -

Poetry better than anyone wrote -

Drinking a beer with a song in your throat -

Ezra the fascist who's lousy and dead

Said “Make it new,” which he's sorry he said -

So now it is new like the sea and the rain -

To write it is easy, to read it a strain -

To study at Princeton supposes a brain -

8-3-13

 

Merwin & Sondheim

When the games have all been played,

Winning speeches all been made,

Baffled crowds have oood and awed

For the geniuses like god,

Someone good will come along

And write a poem or a song.

8-2-13

 

Funny Old Men

God! The old men trying to be funny!

Bravery despite impending death.

Heaven's almost here. That makes them witty.

A walk and I'm completely out of breath!

I'm an old man trying to be funny.

I say something frequently that clicks.

At least they laugh. Or stand it with compassion.

Old, like hell! I'm only 66.

8-2-13

 

Funny

He laughs at what I say. I must be funny.

Seldom will a waitress laugh at me.

One teller in the bank is very funny.

She makes me think that I am funny too.

When I was younger no one thought me funny,

Although I tried. Perhaps longevity

Has rendered me an object of amusement,

Or I invoke compassion for a fool.

Coward, Wilde and Kaufman were my heroes,

Kerr and Simon. I grew up to laugh.

I never made a mission to be funny.

It took me 50 years to write a poem.

College nearly was my one success.

8-2-13