Poetry
2002
Don't judge harshly
that which the soul
pours forth in its own discovery!
by year
2002
BATTLE CREEK BUS BREAKDOWN
Just outside of Kalamazoo, that’s where my daddy died long ago
Now here we’re cruising east, coming from Alpine Valley
Where grateful Other Ones rocked us into Terrapin Station
And we’re still feelin’ alright.
Sunset highway 94 rolling by cereal city
There’s friends on the side of the road
Battling away in a Battle Creek Bus Breakdown.
But wait, it’s crazy, there’s a cop and they’ve been busted, maybe
Did they have any bud left, brownies or LSD oreos
Coz his lights are flashing and he’s taking them away.
Driving like Neal Cassady he took them to the Steak and Shake
Said he got a call across town of a man with a gun
So I’m gonna close my eyes to your contraband van and deception
Battle Creek Bus Breakdown
Where the hell is the damn bus now
To where did they tow, we gotta know
We piled all into our car
Col Bruce singing Basically Frightened on the stereo
And we followed the toothless grins of passersby
Til we crossed the tracks
Our bearded buddy Beer Bottle just wanted his VW bus back.
And we wondered if across town the man with the gun got outdone
Battle Creek Bus Breakdown
Where the hell is the damn bus now
To where did they tow, we gotta know
MIDNIGHT RODEO
Where id you go my midnight rodeo?
Smile on the edge of a clown
Didn't let me know you were sinking down,
Sunshine on the edge of a frown.
DELIA
Delia grew up in that ivory tower
She used to catch and torture spiders
Just coz good and evil was all mixed up inside her.
Pops used to keep her there because when she went out
She didn’t know what rolling up her sleeves was all about.
No one even let her know, she was no good for sure,
Even flowers turned to stone behind her.
She’s a silver spoon licker, she’s a toilet drinker
All that glitters in her eyes ain’t love, it’s gold.
Surrounded by gossipers and hot gospellers, yapper dogs and fools,
Still you looked into her eyes and the truth took on disguise.
Search for a hiding place, a heart of gold to whom you can confide
It’s hard to be your angel, when the devil’s at your side.
SMILING SOUND
Prayers rise like hands in the sky
Merging minds mingle into melody
Singing, dancing, evolving
Spirits sighing with silences.
Inhalation, the soul breathes
Exhale and the universe moves through you.
Swept into the temporal flow
Rhythm never cease.
Lives connect to reconnect
Across time and turning tide.
Eyes that speak with long forgotten words,
Only the soul can hear.
Intersecting forces fascinate
Conjure and concentrate the music
Laughing light, smiling sound,
Forever lingers and hangs around.
To the pounding of the skins
Emotive strings snap and quiver.
A voice weaves through it all,
Remember to surrender.
TAKING LEAVE
The stillness of goodbye again nudges
Into the rhythm of my heart.
Eternal blood of sunset,
Wounded and sinking,
But the promise to rise again.
Fate peeling body from body,
But never soul from soul.
You and me, apart
Breathing across space and time
Lovelight of the sun
Two still are one.
SUNDAY
If I could I would, die on a Sunday.
My last day, let the clocks turn their faces.
I'm safe in the arms of Sunday,
Where the sun is easy on the eyes
And the day easy on your soul.
Listen to me breathe, then take my breath away,
Sweet soulful Sunday.
To have a man who feels like Sunday,
Safe in the arms of Sunday
Spinning around dizzy with love,
A Sunday kind of love.
Open dirt roads, old fences and sapphire skies
Front porches guitar strings and long goodbyes.
SURRENDER
Since I met you
I do
A lot of gazing
Mostly sighing
All smiling
Looking at the sky
In wonder
Of that look in your eye
Sea water iris mirrors
Reflecting fondness
Projecting joy.
MOVEMENT
Shine a light on darkened path.
Distant memory lights my way to you,
As your eyes reflect
The yesterdays of ours.
Sea of quidity awakens.
Your phantom stares
Down our tomorrow,
From which you shall walk into my arms.
But fear creeps near
Behind footsteps of doubt-
Time speeding towards
Our lives on collision.
Merging, mingling and attracting
Or confusing, disillusioning and repelling.
Luscious, though looming
Tidal wave of destiny
To soon wash over us.
But thru my heart, my eyes can see
Smiling you and me
Breathing underwater
Souls buoyant and rising
Giggling in bubbles
Under blue sky.
BREATHE
Long time.
Long time coming.
Time plays with my heart.
Our yesterday too far away,
Tomorrow existing just beyond reach.
To be again by your side
Stealing moments, stealing hearts.
Making time, making love,
Whispering ourselves home.
Waiting for your hunger to devour me.
Still you reach inside me from afar,
I hear your words and voice within
Waiting for your breath to fall upon my skin.
BY AND BY
Eyes that look up sudden
To see where once I cried-
Beyond the window in that building
After my father died.
No matter what the day, so many since
This bus I ride to work rolls by and by
The home where my father did not live
But for his Funeral he did lie.
I walked outside and under sky I talked to him.
For I know from everywhere now he hears.
Hundreds gathered to remember-
Flowers, words and tears for his sixty one years.
Still with much mortal strength I stood
To speak to those who sat to cry.
Word by word conjured the greatest man,
Father, husband, brother, friend- to say goodbye.
Hard to remember then
As now I sit driving past
That day, night and so many again
To this moment the pain should last.
If I could hear but one more soft word-
Papa’s voice so bearcat low
One more laugh or whistling song
One more day without him
Wouldn’t seem as long.
SOUTHBOUND
There is a smile in the melody of his southern accent
That speaks beyond the ear into my heart
Beating up and out of my chest.
Southern accents drawn upon open doors
Where he has walked into my soul
With slow, happy footsteps.
A southern accent where he comes from-
Dreamy grasses and magical sun,
A warmth he carries with him.
And my body begins to resonate
With the music of this sweetness
The accent of his southern laughter.
Southern accents etched around his eyes
Eyes that shine with Tennessee twilight
A light I seem to follow home.
2002
CRUSH
Crush
On you
My world spiraling
Into you
Crush
Against you
Your body pressing
Into me
Crush
For you
Your worries and stress
My battle
Crush
Inside you
The walls and cages
My awakening
Glorious crush
Around us
Our worlds
Collide.
2002
RIPPLES ACROSS TIME
To feel the smile I’d never seen
A thousand miles away
To know his touch beyond
My presence
His trail of light upon this earth.
To hear the melody with my body
He beams across our time,
To dance my spirit into
His creations
Infinite as his center.
To beat my knowing heart
Into his endless rhythm,
To listen not with ears
But soul
His sounds of universal vibration.
2002