The sun is a hot bruise,
lighting up the now cold bed
where we once laid—
Even though
I will never tell you
where I’ve been,
I will wait forever
for you to call out
my name again
as I search your name feverishly in the sky.
Our names could have been entwined,
sheltered from the jealous sun—
but you disappeared
without leaving behind any possible plans.
I now lie in this bed, used.
O gentle followers,
put down your heavy-laden, colorful bags
& sing songs, & say inspirational words
in your chosen place of worship.
Put down your heavy-laden, colorful bags!
Send forth good thoughts of generosity
in your chosen place of worship.
Provide love & care for your family.
Send forth good thoughts of generosity
& give to those who need.
Provide love & care for your family.
Try to do good this holiday season,
& give to those who need,
& sing songs, & say inspirational words.
Try to do good this holiday season,
O gentle followers!
Third time today,
uptown on Broadway,
I saw flocks of pigeons
gearing up for an orgy,
but this time,
they crowded onto the roof
of the 96th Street
Broadway Mall Community Center,
(its roof is still dripping),
gazing out, keeping warm,
heads bobbing in-time,
watching the ongoing traffic
as if their crowd was listening
to the music of the city,
an invisible rock show.
Afterwords,
when the music died down,
they exited in droves,
wings cutting the sky
of the Upper West Side
all at once,
shaking the heavens.
Tonight
I felt I was dancing on the moon
as it shimmied towards Scorpio.
It was a flying dream,
a mirage for the abundant senses!
About irritants:
When used or provided in the wrong way or amount,
a painful rash results,
or the overall feeling that you want to die.
When used or provided in the right way or amount,
a spark ignites,
lighting up the darkness.
It is the same with love.
You want to forget all the things that they said,
you want to forget all the things that they did.
You want to forget all their treachery & sin,
you want to forget all the times they tried to do you in.
You want to forget all the hurt & the lies,
you want to go through just one day without crying.
You want to forget all the lying & cheating,
you want to forget the sadness of all your grieving.
You want to forget the love that did you wrong,
you want to forget the times you were not strong.
You want to forget the times you were cruel,
you want to forget the classes you took in school.
You want to forget your backtalk & your rage,
you want to stuff your dark parts into a cage,
or a box, & lock the sick things down with a key—
Sure, you can, but it won’t be easy,
because the Box of Pain will open again & again.
We are not perfect; we try not to live in vain
but mistakes & depression will rear their ugly head,
& we often become helpless with dread—
Can we be better? Can we follow the light?
Can we say “Good night” to the night?
Impossible! We were born flawed & slow,
fallen feathers & leaves upon the snow.
None of us is born without pain,
our hearts beat wildly as a runaway train.
We must deal with our own darkness as we go.
Hopefully the madness of our minds won’t grow
as they take apart our lives, sinew by sinew— As tears flow freely, green shoots spark from the ground, anew.
Our shadows
can be spectacular,
only when
evil, sadness, anger
or depression
are not attached
to them.
This is the time to extinguish fear.
All teeth need to be cleaned,
after digesting sugary sweets & coffee drinks.
Dentists are not evil.
All teeth need to be cleaned!
“But my gums continue to bleed—”
Dentists are not evil;
they just want to help you
“…but my gums continue to bleed,”
you shake your head; your hands tremble.
They just want to help you.
It’s going to be okay.
You shake your head; your hands tremble
after digesting sugary sweets & coffee drinks.
It’s going to be okay—
This is the time to extinguish fear.
Autumn rain hits hard and cold
outside the Temple, after the long taxi ride;
empty inside, but warm & inviting
He forgot his umbrella,
his mom will be upset when
she finds out;
every man for himself
We can’t forget this night,
apples dipped in honey,
toasting another sweet year
as we wipe away the rain
hopefully, not to bring any more pain—
& the fevers
of sickness and loneliness
are not wanted now,
the trees are still covered in green,
full of wet leaves,
still sweet-looking.
Girl with wonderous eyes,
she stayed & sovereigned so
even though she never thought
she would be in charge for 70 years.
Born third in line,
she was a normal princess.
But, thanks to her uncle and father,
she was first, in everything.
Her nation became modern under her watch.
Even with scandals, she stood firm,
riding out storms, wars & the terrible years
when her family & countrymen experienced their growing pains.
She received the hardest job as a young wife and mother.
Now her descendants & subjects dot the Earth
as spirits showed off a double rainbow at Buckingham palace,
the very minute she passed away in Scotland.
Amidst the tears, Lillibet,
you stood firm & true.
What would we do now
without you?