Love Myth

Another Myth of Love
Desire is love’s seed, they said, but I knew
better even as I planted deep my
seed. Their infertile hearts desired lust’s cry
of carnal longing, and nothing more. Few
have learned as we have learned, love, and lust, too,
are but fires within our hearts and selves. Try
as we might, they smolder and never die
while we [...]

Tanner’s Demise

Thief of Kisses
He was a fiend of hearts, was Jon Tanner;
seducer of women by wine and by song.
But one day a maiden too fair did Tanner
meet and kisses steal and away into the night
stole as though no promise lied through
puckered lips might hold him to a single
heart. But Duke Marinton’s daughter
had no will [...]

Temptation

Temptation
I never knew Eve. Never spent time in her
garden or orchard. Any Eden, for that matter.
But I loved her from the time of my first
erection, first hint of manhood. My heroine
not because she gave the fruit to Adam,
not because she was the Matriarch of Rebellion,
nor because she blamed the serpent—
Because she opened the true gate
to [...]

New Eyes (sonnet)

Keeping New Eyes New
Suzuki taught us to keep beginners’
minds. Each moment a new reality,
ancient as the world, yet newborn. Did he
assume new eyes? Imply that beginners’
minds see with fresh eyes? Yes. And each dinner’s
only in this moment—reality
perpetual in the now, here. No gritty
cynicism. No jaded-heart sinners.
 
We learn together this ever-giving
renewal, despite flashing delusions
that hint impermanence. [...]

Lonely Man there on the Corner

 
One Stray Dog for Lunch
One grocery cart, stole from some damned corporate conglom’rat . . . two shirts. one pair Dockers—used. comb. 22 newspapers. 2 mags, salvaged from 7/11. 29 business cards: 2 lawyers; 6 cops; a wine salesman, real estate agent, insurance broker . . . and one clergyman. . . . Who the hell’d [...]

Narcissus to Echo (on a Waterhouse painting)

 
I Hear Your Beauty in My Reflection
Oh Echo, Echo, my beloved Echo,
what fell god damned me to this contemplation,
what terrible fate, my fascination
with that wonderful-evil image, wet woe
over which my head hangs. Oh sweet, sweet Echo,
I hear your song, your forlorn cry—obsession
dear and heinous as my own. What illusion,
this slipping life, rooted in glamour’s woe.
Nevertheless, [...]

Patriarch Patina

Oh Father that I am Not
Oh yes. I stand here fists on hips, adamant
and demanding. But within, I am the turmoil
inside Vesuvius. Friction among want and will,
wish and compassion, judgement and forgiveness
broil within my gut to dam my visceral reason
and beg pity for one move false and foolish . . .
Cannot love overshadow this fell [...]

Invocation 418

 
Invocation 418
This day, auspicious unto itself, let us
sing odes and ring the chime of libertas—
let us unmanacle now these line and let them
flow in uncounted syllables, yet imbue each
with our thirst, unquenchable by mere waters!
Paint beauty across our eyelids and our inner eyes
that we may see and portray this abundant creation
in Hyacinth colors, scented with [...]

First Fire

We Charge Ahead
Sword high, arcs low
head rolls
first martyr
revolution
commences
Yet—
our pens are more
mighty than swords
We sling ink
to enrich life
not to end
aught
but to re-
create
Life
vibrant
and well-
lived

From 7 Years Ago

Fifth Street Prophet 
We rode in silence
contemplated something now gone
and gave each other smiles
she, daunted with my need
for silence wanting to touch me
me—out of touch and seven miles gone
wanting for epiphany
I parked the car roadside
She looked me questions
“Back soon”
she wasn’t comforted—too concerned
                        best watch him—
devil got him sure ‘nough
I walked to a shabby man on a [...]