Dodging a bullet 
the Pet Scan loomed large… 
results both good and bad 

“Nothing today 
to panic about ” 
 tomorrow left unclad 

The moment secure 
the future unsure… 
prognosis under siege 

The lights of the O.R. 
calling his name 
— with hope the last reprieve 

(University Of Pennsylvania: September, 2020) 

Deep in the forest

of a wanton tomorrow

two virgins sullied forth

One but a temptress

from loves inquisition

the other devil sourced

 

Together they exit

where fear is incepted

to course on different paths

 

One a diversion

distracting our vision

— the other Queen of Wrath

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024)

Deficit of

wonder

climbing

the walls

 

Deficit of

verbiage

the message

forestalled

 

Deficit of

promise

the future

on hold

 

Deficit of

time

eternity

— shoaled

 

(The New Room: August, 2024)

If there was no one

to believe

would there still

be truth

 

If there was no one

to tell

would it spoil

the fruit

 

If there was no one

to laugh

would the lights

come on

 

If there was no one

to love

would all feeling

— be gone

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024)

 

Language

a slave

to instruction

 

Music

 a much

higher master

 

Together

they marry

and lyrics are born

 

To dream

beyond reason

— eternally free

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024)

 

It’s not what

you’re called

But what

you answer to

 

Your true

voice inside

As questions

renew

 

It’s not what

you say

But what

you mean

 

Spoken in

whispers

The truth

— never screams

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024) 

 

Festival Of San Fermin

 

Running the gamble

— living the dream

 

(Pamplona Spain: July, 1977)

 

 

‘Pathway To Hell …”

 

Money is to promises

what bureaucracy is to care

Chasing lost indemnity

— uncertainty’s despair

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024)

 

 

The Lost Garden

 

A bad seed

illy planted

Fallow

—and alone

 

(Denison Iowa, September, 1967)

  

Au Chante

 

The pathway

to happiness

Goes through

—the open heart

 

(Midway Airport: August, 2024)

 

 

Titling a poem

 or naming a child

 

Which process harder

  the future beguiled

 

“A Rose Is A Rose …”

till maybe it’s not

 

Called do they answer

— once dubbed and begot

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024)

 

Truth stays

naïve

As reality

profanes

The price of

fidelity

Unpaid

till inflamed

 

Truth often

hides

With its head

in the sand

Until forced

into play

A new crisis

— at hand

 

(The New Room: August, 2024)

Accounting

for madness

A conflict

in terms

 

The devils

own details

In secrets

unlearned

 

What stays

ill conflicted

Stays

misunderstood

 

No rhyme

and no reason

When bad

— trumps the good

 

(Dreamsleep: August, 2024)