Hiding between imprisoned lines,

a fugitive of verse

turning my back on pleadings made,

musings that amerce  

The lengthy sentence of my mind,

 fleeing my recall

to leave the spoken word confined

—released to scale the wall

(Dreamsleep: January, 2022)

To run from today

or hide from tomorrow,

the ultimate hunter,

time waiting downwind

Each day a stalking,

your tracks to betray you,

escape out of season

—the wolf closing in

(Sacandaga Lake, New York: January, 2022)

“Replay the riff in G,”

Robby said to Ray

“Come in a half beat behind,”

they both said to John

Then the three looked at Jim who said…

“Lay it all down,

turn it all over,

and pull it all back”

(8901 West Sunset Boulevard: West Hollywood California, 7-21-1966)

Is there something unwanted

or even decried

that lives in the bottom

of all you’ve despised

to weep when you’re happy

the prefect of tears

confusing the moment

defying the years

its magic conscripting

new days into night

 trapping what’s in you

embracing the fright

one saving question

 the clock striking twelve

destiny tolling

—your answer indwells  

(Dreamsleep: January, 2022)

That pit in my soul…

a space left unfilled

The harder I struggle,

the deeper it drills

Its emptiness constant,

dominion unsure

A puppet on tethers,

with vacuum secured

One choice left unspoken,

whose die never cast

To reach through the darkness,

the blindness unmasked

A backfill is starting,

my cavern relines

The light has reentered

—new future defined

(The New Room: January, 2022)

Sleeping inside my fury,

the predators keep away

Passing downwind of my ire,

seeking lesser prey

My strength is wrapped around me,

no more armor do I need

The fangs of lions, bears, and wolves,

break upon my sleeve

My campfire roars in anger,

the birds have stilled their wings

The tracks of blood I left today,

tomorrow’s path to bring

As ruler of this forest,

my range the great divide

To those who hear me coming

—upon whose fear I thrive

(Dreamsleep: January, 2022)

Shedding a final tear

from the cellar of my pain

The walls close in the sorrow

imprisoning me again

Breathing a final sigh

into a memory you forget

My words trapped into silence

—alone with my regret

(The New Room: January, 2022)

If a million people read your work,

or possibly just one

What then will change, the numbers feign

—result still zero-sum

(The New Room: January, 2022)

I’m running out of money,

but I’ve still got some time

and only just one question

…can you lend me a dime

My dollars spent on something

that quarters can’t divide

my nickels for what’s come and gone

…can you lend me a dime

Tomorrow comes as landlord,

whose lease you can’t cosign

my place reserved but not in ink

…can you lend me a dime

My tenancy is in arrears,

foreclosing on my mind

last chance to stay evictions sway

…can you lend me a dime

(Dreamsleep: January, 2022)

Using the intellect

to understand God

A circle unending

no light in the fog

Our mind like a hammer

to pry and to nail

Constrained by our motion

and destined to fail

But deep in our essence

that we’ve named the soul

A voice is there calling

a bell waits to toll

To ring in tomorrow

with songs of today

Proclaiming the music

—our spirit’s ordained

(Beaupre: January, 2022)