A Man In Denny's

A Scene

Autonomous fantasies

Flick through my brain

Whenever I shut my eyes.

Colorful butterflies

Slip through the rain

That fills the autumn skies.

Birds in trees beneath the drops

Spread their wings and shake the dew.

When precipitation stops,

And half an oval sun comes through

The shadowy leafless branches and a cloud,

A place on earth with fragrance is endowed.

12-7-13

“Oklahoma!”

Hammerstein in “Oklahoma!”
Outshines all the others.

A bawdy human sense of humor

No one else approaches.

And Rodgers' music!

Heavenly as gods.

It's not the integration of

The songs. It's not verismo.

It's just that “Oklahoma!”
Is a better show.

5-5-14

 

Encouragement

All the wrong people support me

When I'm writing verse.

Down to the dock they escort me

And help me into a hearse.

The one in New Jersey equates me

With Ginsberg! A time for distress.

The sister who probably hates me

Said verse is my hobby, god bless.

5-5-14

Facts

He's usually sweet

On the telephone.

He always was since 99.

The river never changes.

How can I be Shakespeare if

I disavow old notions?
Genius doesn't “make it new”

Except in its expression.

Old truths, new truths – a single set

Of truths to fit all times.

So it was since earth began,

And since continued on.

5-5-14

 

A Man In Denny's

I just saw a man in Denny's,

Older, loud and nice.

Possibly he's hard of hearing.

Here he dines alone.

Does he know the right truths

The street wise seem to know?

I doubt it. He just tucked a napkin

Underneath his chin.

He possibly has money,

A wife and grandkids too.

Warm and dull, he's not the type

To have been in jail.

No, I guess he's sexless,

A bore but to his wife.

These fantasies in Denny's

Beguile an empty life.

5-5-14

 

Nusky

I was nervous so I thanked the waitress

Several times for every thing she did.

You were getting angry, then you mocked me

With contempt the way my daddy would.

I stopped talking and we ate in silence.

You paid the check, your social obligation.

Then we left. You drove me to the depot,

Put me on the bus. And I was gone.

I never phoned again. And it's been years.

I am in a diner. I just thanked

The waiter too much. Suddenly I thought

Of you and Jersey. I still overthank

And tip too much. But now it doesn't matter.

Because these people never were my friends.

4-6-14