Where Is The World?

Oh Apostrophe's shoulder blades
traveling over the too-lit rocks
clopping underwater tasks
returning but wasn't this
inhabiting a secret fire
in curves of branches
mother rests retreats
stepping on the path
between trees stars echo
the ocean calling back the sea

Locked Out

Secret door trying all possible styles
lemons squeezed rinds grated floating
today's story glitter zest passing poem

Else Happiness

Guarding the temple
shaking it alongside
what was
my own self ego
arranging flowers
talking too much
doing there?

Sociable

Is it her purr his snore
or just the high tide
leaving?  Is it my mind
listening leaving again
a landscape of containers

up in Nome our hangout
at the edge of the world
the way out the sky a map

tundra flowers
for our mothers
by the time we got back

Learning Stretch

What didn't happen happened anyway
down past the break each wave sounding
slightly different from the next
the train I-5 all worrying piling up
where would she sleep if not out back
behind the 24 hour drug store cardboard
flattened boxes best for keeping up
off the ground where it's safe
so far lots of luck at least a list

Lava Village

Village of rainbows
know this version
unable to escape
worst of things
they were told
machines only
surrounding

Return To Me

A little milk on your eyelid
will make it all better
Basilica St. Lorenz
cool dark chambers
afterwards to
the parcel of land
out where rose hips grow
past the edge of town

their tea a color unexpected
the town hilly Roman
how to find them calling out

Final Approach

At last it is clear that with everything else
she grew up at the edge of a great wilderness
Germany bombed out her town in rubble in places
herself it took years to gather it all parts pieces
her body hitching off to Mannheim there for a year
then to America they called her fat she wore her
alpine hat around before finding out it wasn't cool
by then she wasn't a kid anymore was she ever
Was it rock-n-roll or was it the young army guy
she followed across the ocean finding neither
changing into something else entirely beat

Most

I thought about it and thought about trees
alone maybe a trail I thought of sunshine
barely called that and thought about those
nothing to stop them now wormwood

The Way Out

Is to tell it like it is
tame or wild the bombs
leave too much history behind
take too many into forgetting
leave ants biting legs
looking for
patches of grass
where once
something else
someone else
worked there
on the hill
what is left
but this
we go there
anyway
listening
for them
later
sighing

Domestication

They raised the two until they grew too large for anything, too large for the past, too large for the future.  Their fat baby bellies round, vulnerable.  They soon grew to be as large as their own kids and just as difficult to carry around the town square, the meeting places where no one would question the ethics of this haphazard adoption.

They stroked royalty, crushed its fur.  It was not a question anymore of too much or too little.  What was left was another sort of dream of wilderness, a free roaming land where anything could take place, not the dull routine and comfort of structure.  In fact, what had happened was that it was only a tame situation for now.

Either the cubs would kill someone out of hunger or they would soon be boiling away as obliviously curious meat in a wild pot of stew.

Fire At McDonald's!

My fries fed the fire
Coke saved the day
ketchup's purpose
reserved for this emergency!
I had to quench my curiosity
no, tables did not melt
the paper napkins safe
useful even
if you consider
factoring in
the cheese

Control Center

At the turnoff to Medicine Creek
the sign always cracked us up--
everything beyond damp
van shovels nerves climbing
through acres of Rhododendron
a story went around in hushed tones:

years ago a leaf
punctured some body's ear
(the boss's) but it was not reported

as we stepped and slid on green
shuffling itself underneath
new signs
pointing to the rest
of summer

Personification

Inside this animal mantra
I'll design a dream that can
be tested proclaimed true
separate from
shame of the paradox
where the river

goes quite the opposite
tediously moving uphill
even on the map
bedrock water
she couldn't swim
her friend yanking
back between wars

I Was A Spaniard

My dream did not include 

so many people there so many

problems so what I thought

this will be true now the ones

in charge will listen will know

change will happen I will be free

This will be an opening I will take

something away from here I will 

know the past present and future

Power you say that's right give in
galactic smooth my body saying

Spirit Of Things

Just groping around
until my eyes adjust
stars all through the trees

Last time in the rain
there is no exact detecting

But I see what you're saying
something should be
not back to the same
shenanigans although sweet
analyzing this point besides

This

All this took place while I was safely
tucked away dreaming trying to understand
the Flatirons for example who would write
on them who would then erase it

I never found out even forgot about it
until now the "CU" up there plain as day

More like scared to be it feel it
moving underneath the sheets
bed too comfortable head fine
just so when the world is night
it will be so over then this cold
does not last forever shouldn't it
be over already shouldn't it be
done with finished as all resources
this frightening schedule

Why won't they call or at least let
me know--I'm talking about
the poetry people, people with
slick deals as shown in films calling
to say the deals are done made set
in stone no more worries unless

somewhere in a sacred grove
important things are being decided
about my future I give it all up for this
large trees say I've been there spying
when I didn't need to travel that far
to find out the news happening large
focus just enough to know it

Cupcakes

Where connections
are made I think
or was I supposed to

What do I really seek
deep dank disappointment
passing the mill! in Springfield!

One long walk along river!!!?
that particular nostalgia?!
only the stink from the

mill
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So what did I worry about
writing this with nothing
fresh but so much worry

Calling All Poets

Poets let us settle
once and for all
let me spell
it out to the nth degree

The dust has not settled
eyes dry weeping invisible

still

no metaphor strong enough
Peace is not an amnesia
but a daily grinding
tooth to tongue to vine
fruit to listening leaves

Keep the conversation going
experts say tiring tired
tending to the coals blowing
picking up a flowery scent
that you've again sent

Mysteria

All that's required:

a mountain with snow
shelter at the base
rocky
depths
a small
mysterious lake
watery hikes
paths to follow
while swimming
on skis the sky
in different places

music in the paint
expression searching
for the new smart
entrance at the end
could it be then
understanding
repeating ancient
words for each
their faces once
memorized still
familiar years gone
into what is now
left saying something
which could be poetry

or could be an argument
map to the thesis
which would not matter
anymore so pleasing to be
among the brush grasses
of the ecstatic once again

do not use me friend
but let me free I've doctored you
my eyes on the wall seeing
shadows of our conversations

You always won of course
your place up there
mountain is not just one place
but everywhere mountain
everyday mountain surroundings
dry and rocky or cooler and rocky
almost a poet magnet a triangle
dinging away for suppertime
calling them calling the poets
they answer:  chains rattling
 

Update On My Cave

So appealing their singing
just outside my ear
mysterious sky falling
half lake half field so
green gold upside down

As Impossible Object

Mount Parnassus decked snow
slopes steep some gentle curves
all fitting together go up to this
find the cave to say yes I was there
visiting at length some say trapped
I say nothing when asked about
the others the future plans dates
possible times agenda all imaginary
entrance and exit open looking
closed angles satisfactory then
standing here among friends
trying to remember who is who
anything constructed  is this

Mainly A Mini Moon

Well it did look shrunken
or tiny or miniature
from what I could glimpse
through the coconut trees
clouds taking their time
surf far off moving further
although beaming brighter
headlights through thatch
curtains waiting all night
for my German alarm
but it wasn't a shrunken apple
either or even a mottled pebble
from all that listening I did
hyacinth sky heavily true

Ms. Louise Bourgeois

She got older art older
bigger art bigger
windows in the door
frosted over flowery

My face always a peasant
never princess admiring queen
pronouncing the small command
my ego crafted from felt
spidery webs wool woven

I gather it with a scythe
an easy motion side to side
took years to learn sparing
not the thing anymore beyond
what they said didn't happen
thankfully I went tellingly

Visit

We saw how a woman's body
may be her house or may be
a spider with baby spiders
remembering France that way
metal things but also soft
traveling the same paths
over and over probably
men don't have this problem
with problems when it is time
to leave the leaves get left
outside someplace special
so other moments counting along
are not so lonely not so left

Nomination

That's where I could live forever
inside that dream call it shelter
own it from now on will knock
just pretending it's shut up I guess
searching is involved also light
figures wings feathers seeing
young paths next to wilderness
always there always so green
delicate so finely woven before
following after as a surprise

No Subs Available

Too many have already been taken
so lots of teachers out gone home
with what's going around and all
even that teacher of the year's got it
you'll need to get one secured if you
plan on being out better grab one
while you can because this is a mean
thing what everybody got passing it
around even the kids have it so that's
how it is prepare for it hope it passes
quickly since everything is backwards
today Period 9 can watch Lost Boys
of Sudan it has sub titles so that's good
or maybe the Biography of Poe since it
is so short I think Speak is too advanced
plus they all expect Twilight right away
when they see her until they get it
that it isn't the same story no not at all

To Wild(ly) Dreaming

Sooth
born to
MOST AUSPICIOUS SACRIFICES
with transit
Sun through Pisces
touching up natal Sun
beginning
annual Sun consciousness cycle
LIFE PURPOSE
finds a new beginning
intution willpower
just a few weeks away

Matter its velocity
does matter
In this sour world
your secret
how you've handled
straw into gold
under
ebony trees
moon lace

Now your body
tries to catch up
mind memory
absolutely everything
absurd blue love's watery
sublime green