His Legend Lives

A madman’s humanity

of which we decry

When he has those feelings

the same, you and I

 

How can he commit

such actions of death

Then cry when a comrade

lets out his last breath

 

A madman with feelings

the concept abhors

That he loves his children

his dog and his whores

 

His body dies bloody

his legend to live

Embroiled in fury

—only time can forgive

 

(The New Room: May, 2022)

Watching ‘Narcos’ on Netflix

City Hawk

From the top of Penn Center

he chose his first victim

Twenty stories up

as the train rolls below

 

A solitary pigeon

breaks free of the pack

Its eyes focused downward

for scraps that might show

 

His wings ever silent

with talons extended

At over a hundred

he drops from the sky

 

The prey in his clutches

a nest on the spire

where eyas sit waiting

—their mouths open wide

 

(16th & JFK Boulevard-Philadelphia: May, 2022)

Left Abandoned

No more white horses

or pretty ladies

No more bright mornings

or silver skies

No more engagement

with hopes and wishes

No more will promises

 cover lies

 

Once more the danger

is thrust upon me

Once more the mirror

reflects the shame

Once more the time

is left abandoned

Once more tomorrow

—myself to blame

 

(Dreamsleep: May, 2022)

Yet So Far…

So close to Heaven,

so far from God

The gate still locked

—the devil nods

 

A soul once bartered,

forever sold

Its mine shaft empty

—mirage of gold

 

All reasons barren,

the empty fields

The seasons wanton

—bereft to yield

 

So close to Heaven,

so far from God

Redemption fleeting

—as hell applauds

 

(Dreamsleep: May, 2022)

Storms On Fire

A new beginning

begins the end

A different octave

whose voice portends

 

The circle squares

as angles form

escape your memory

salvation born

 

A new beginning

first and last

Once you enter

the past is past

 

All colors exit

as black meets white

gray indifference

to lace the night

 

A new beginning

storms on fire

 ice is raging

 polar spires

 

Eight directions

up is down

Buried mantra

—transcendence found

 

(Dreamsleep: May, 2022)

Tomorrow Unpromised

 

Where would we be

without the bomb

Was Einstein a savior

or devil aplomb

Our power the fire

all enemies dread

Till stealing its physics  

unmaking our bed

 

The world on the edge

of a looming abyss

Missiles entombing

a terrorist wish

Tomorrow unpromised

all time day to day

Eternity waiting

—forever to blame

 

(Saint David’s Pennsylvania: May, 2022) 

30 Pieces

Raging flashes

time on fire

seconds flaming

moments pyre

 

Burning scepters

light betrays

torches fury

embers pray

 

Blind inception

blistered tongues

motion melting

boiled young

 

Bars of silver

chains of gold

locks of platinum

ingots stole

 

30 pieces

forged in lies

minted falsehoods

struck alive

 

Nights of crimson

skies of red

life has moltened

—ashes dead

 

(Dreamsleep: May, 2022)