What’s in a photograph

in reference to time

The events as portrayed

or what they call to mind

 

Focused on tomorrow,

the picture is lame

Its history frozen

—the future unframed

 

(Dreamsleep: January, 2022)

Religion

a prison…

to fence and restrain

 

Spoken

or written…

 it tries to contain

 

What can’t

be conscripted

or coveted pure

 

The Presence

as given

—freely endures

 

(The First Book Of Prayers: January, 2022).

The future hung desperately on to the past,

like a pilot fish to a whale

Swimming through the current of times gone by,

lost moments were impaled

The seconds ticked down, day blacker than night,

intention in denial

As deep in the din, voices cried from within

—eternity on trial

 

(The New Room: January, 2022)

The beginning and ending

are easy to see

The middle much harder

and masked by degree

 

It moves and it changes

from angle and scope

To keep you uneasy

—and married to hope

 

(Dreamsleep: January, 2022)

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)