Poems

The Modern World

The modern world is wonderful.

Art at last is free

Of everything that made it beautiful.

The modern world is wonderful.

Makes you want to get

Out of it as fast as possible.

Everyone's at war.

Soon we'll reach our quota

And have as many as we can afford.
Everyone who was

An idiot in high school

Is getting rich in music videos.

Turing made their world

(Computer games and Facebook).

They prosecuted him for being gay.

8-6-13

Topics

I traded my talent for a soul,

Opinions and a brain.

Oceans and flowers – a poet's role -

Psychology and rain.

What shall I write a poem on?
Nothingness appeals.

Perhaps the emptiness of a dawn,

Or smoke and how it feels.

Poets have written a thousand years

And centuries and longer,

Exhausting all the topics but tears,

And butterflies no stronger.

8-5-13

 

Purpose

Finally with death

All that lives is cursed.

Ineluctable.

Do something first.

Perhaps you have no talents.

Few people have I wis.

Nature's no more democratic

Than the country is.

But if you have a brain

(All living creatures do)

Make some skill your bailiwick,

And it belongs to you.

8-5-13

 

Petting Freddy

He senses no danger. He sees no threat.

He lies on the bed beside me.

A soft little nothing, a pleasure to pet

And love whatever betide me.

He closes his eyes. He relaxes his legs

And wraps them around my fist.

Obsidian gently, and proudly he begs,

In humans akin to be kissed.

8-5-13

 

“Tough Love”

“Tough love” destroys.

It's easier than kindness.

It makes the victim strong.

One must be strong

To survive.

But if the world were gentler -

Without cops and criminals,

The common man and war -

There would not be

Such a need for strength.

8-5-13