The days are long

 the years are short

as eternity

—whistles a tune

 

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023)

Stubbing your toe

before feeling the pain

Two things that are separate

one thing that remains

The trauma unwelcome

its closure to bear

Stimulus birthing

—response in the air

 

(The New Room: November, 2023)

Patience

is only

for those

who have

time

 

The rest

left

to panic

jumping

the line

 

Sentience

metered

and charged

by the

hour

 

Despair

given

freely

among

—the most dour

 

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023)

Oh

to be

a rock 

guitarist

 

Oh

to be

forever

young

 

Oh

to travel

beyond

the fret board

 

Oh

to revel

in Heaven

strung

 

(Listening To Jeff Beck: December, 2023)

It wasn’t fate

—it just was

 

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023) 

Let go of your

hand grip

let go of

the past

Take fate as

a lover

betrothed

and recast

Your belt

and suspenders

restrict

and constrain

Release

your indemnity

free

—once again

 

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023)

 

Condensing

eternity

into one word

Imploding

time

—and verse

 

(Dreamsleep: December, 2023)

Smell

the most

precious

and last sense

to go

 

Its

lingering

fragrance

vanishing

slow

 

A

single

carnation

a bright

yellow rose

 

Through

deafness

and darkness

till death 

—wafting so

 

(The New Room: December, 2023)

Religion

the bullet

that loads

in your gun

 

Projecting

its damage

belief

zero-sum

 

Exclusion

delusion

its sights

center mass

 

To kill

nonbelievers

 the infidel

class

 

(The New Room: December, 2023)

Like it

dislike it …

it is

what it is

If written

unsmitten

all fate

in the wind

Rising

or falling

the mixture

the same

True joy

in the

baking

—whose icing remains

 

(1^st Book Of Prayers: December, 2023)