Month: April 2016

We Still Live in a Land of Monstrous Giants

we still live in a land
of monstrous giants
we still live in a land
of grand dragons
we still live in a land
of poisonous vipers
we still live in a land
of terrible monstrosities

we still quake
at the thought of them
we still shake
in their presence
we still flee
at the sight of them
and when they roar
we still scream

no one stands still
turns to face
the giants
no one confronts
the dragons
no one tangles with
the vipers
anymore

everyone
wants to run
everyone
wants to hide
everyone
wants comfort
everyone
wants complacency

who is still willing to overthrow
the giants?
who is still willing to slay
the dragons?
who is still willing to crush
the vipers?
who is still willing to rid the land
of its terrible monstrosities?

 

Warriors

keep on writing you writing warriors
write on you writing warriors write on
fight to the finish, finish the fight,
exemplify your strength, show your might,
wage your war by the way of your force.

your force, your weapons are pencils, pens
writing pads, keyboards and paper.
some still use typewriters,
none use the gun.

none use the gun
none use the cannon,
none use the missile,
none use the bomb.

your fortresses, arsenals, armories
consists of libraries laid
in brick, blood, mortar, gut, grit, sweat and stone
electronic bookshelves also
made of digitized zeros and digitized ones.

your eyes see and read
your minds absorb and assess
your hearts feel and embrace
you put your hands to the work
to lands marred by brutality,
you bring compassion and you bring calm

write on you writing warriors
write on you writing warriors write on

He Was Enamored by Her

He was Enamored by Her
–after King Solomon

he was enamored
by the sound
of her voice
as she sang.

he was enamored
by the tenderness
of her bright smile
shining through her lips.

he was enamored
by the kindness
of the tone
of her talk

he was enamored
by the gentleness
felt in the hand
of her touch

and the frozen crystals
of his cold, cruel heart
melted away

and he asked her
what is your name?
and she replied,

some call me knowledge.
some call me prudence.
some call me understanding.
and some call me wit.

but you may call me wisdom.

Winter Makes a Last Pitch

WINTER MAKES ITS LAST PITCH

this is today’s news flash
winter makes its last pitch
winter wants one more say
winter does not want to go

quietly

winter makes itself heard
in beginning of spring
winter steals dewdrops
from mornings of early April

winter replaces April showers
with assorted crystals and flakes
April stands down
but only for a moment

April lets winter
have its last say today
for tomorrow April knows
who will rule, who will reign

and winter leaves

It is Alleged

It is alleged …that a letter to President Lincoln, from Secretary of State Seward, encouraged him to abdicate all his authority, serve as a figurehead and let decisions be made by others. Seward was serious. The letter was dated with today’s date.