Humanity

comes before

the fact

Sentimentality

comes

after

One steeped

in joy

the other remorse

To shout from

the basement

— or rafters

 

(The New Room: August, 2025)

The last curtain came down

one evening at nine

its drapery falling

to signal ‘it’s time’

The theater dark

all stagehands have gone

alone in her presence

my final swan song

The exit door opens

a new crowd appears

applauding me onward

past laughter and tears

With one final bow

but never so sure

eternity clapping

— forever’s encore

 

(The Bryn Mawr Theater: August, 2025)

 

Stay in the

moment

Time but

a myth

Capture

the essence

Whose instant

encrypts

The truth

of the matter

The heart

of it all

Where feelings

explode

In prescience

— recalled

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2025)

A master of time

the true lord of himself

Eternity on hold

the moment indwelt

 

The world at his beckon

tomorrow recalled

This instant his present

— forever enthralled

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2025)

Writing without

imagery

Breathing without

air

Seeing without

vision

Loving without

care

 

Words without

meaning

Voice without

song

Hope without

promise

Night without

— dawn

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2025)

As good

as they got

Clapton

Allman and Page

Their music

still borrowed

the Delta

on stage

 

Technique

in the offing

devoid

of the pain

As juke joints

and crop shares

sing out

— in refrain

 

(The New Room: August, 2025)

 

To bring forth the truth

 — most holy

To bring forth the light

— Divine

 

(1^st Book Of Prayers: August, 2025)

You love the Ocean

as it comes

I love the Ocean

as it goes

Caught in its tide

of becoming

Washed in the change

— of its flow

 

(Yarmouth Massachusetts: September, 1974)

Controlling

the language

Controlling

the power

Defining

tomorrow

With words

of today

 

Converting

the juncture

Converting

the instant

Defining

the moment

With all

that you say

 

Blessing

your loved ones

Blessing

your enemies

Cursing

the liars

Redeeming

the lost

 

Asking

new questions

Asking

 for answers

Loving

the value

In spite of

— the cost

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2025)

Hallowed

are the dreamers

that sit

along the rails

To watch the trains

go rolling by

for places

left unveiled

 

Hallowed

the anointed

unpunched

their tickets clean

To see through eyes

that time can’t buy

true islands

— in the stream

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2025)