Poems

The Policeman

They sat in silence while the cop

Was talking. One was straining

Not to say a word. The other

Said an unfelt prayer.

“Fags are not illegal, but

That doesn't mean we like them,”
Said the cop and walked away

And left them with a warning.

When he was gone, the older one

Said, “Jesus Christ! That guy

Would have beat you bloody and

Arrested you as well.

Forget that television crap

They tell you on Thanksgiving.

This isn't Oz.

We're in America.”

8-7-13

 

The Hair

Nothing's more disgusting than

A woman with long hair

And the smile and disposition

Of the late Maria Callas

Sitting in a restaurant

Running both her hands

Through her hair

While leaning back her head.

8-6-13

The Bad

Rid the world of evil.

Eliminate the bad.

Create an earth Arcadian

And gentle. Who is good?

The wicked have more guises than

Brutality and death.

8-6-13

 

J-Walking

He stops his car some 50 yards behind you

And waits until you hurry cross the street.

I guess he thinks he is a decent person,

And Proposition 8 to him was sweet.

8-6-13

The Box

Lightly over the edge of the box

He leaps and hits the ground,

The kitten out of the cardboard box

(Lined with fleece) I found.

Even Nermal at 30 pounds

Can do the same as he.

From in the box two staring eyes

Look often up at me.

8-6-13

 

Regardless

Regardless, you're my friend.

So long as I'm alive

You'll never be alone.

Unless you want to be.

I'll moan to give you money,

Grow warm with your affection.

Glow to hear you praise

Or discuss my poesy.

But you will get the money.

I try to show affection.

I'll feel your disappointments,

And be glad when you succeed.

Finally success

Is sitting here with you,

Happy and benign

And nothing much to do.

8-6-13

 

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

 

A Dream

I am not asleep. Or am I?
Someone's in the house.

So I am out as quickly as I can.

Millay and Frost and Wilbur mark

The final demarcation -

The meager end of poetry,

And just Millay had talent -

Then Jeffers and Bukowksi -

Jeffers was the one with class -

Not talent, class – Bukowski gave

Impressions of thick briars -

Who was after them? It doesn't

Matter – Brooklyn, rap -

When I'm home I will disgorge

A book of Eliot -

“Show, don't tell” - the mantra -

Photographs with pens -

Today the only way because

A guru of today

Said so -

And a thousand years

Of verse mean nothing now -

And today not one of them

Has any kind of talent -

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