Private Dancer

Sly and the Family Stone reverberates in the background.

I Want to take you High---er! Hi—gh—er!

Boom shaka lacka lacka---boom shaka lacka lacka !!

The darkness throbs and then a
spotlight flashes illuminating
her four inch spikes
all aglitter as her
well defined stems wrap the pole center stage, inching their way up
heels first, towards the dark dusty paper-mache ceiling.

Swirling lights and a throbbing deep-tone tease the regulars as
her voluptuous implants bounce
and her trim
athletic form swings and slides
gracefully
swirling, twirling
thumping, bumping, writhing and smiling to the beat.

Just another sultry artist with pouty red lips
and no tan lines.

High-priced minutes tick by as
thick mascaraed lashes and smoky eyes
slice through the fog, combing for dead presidents
as they salute a beautiful flower
in full bloom, as she eyes a dirty clock
and competes with
younger more fragrant flowers
showing up late for the dinner rush
and now shielded by burly men
in dark corners.

Daylily

Large showy flower

Used in hot and sour soup

medicinal fare.

Water Lily

Sacred water nymph

rooted in lively fishpond

shows genuine smile.

Wasted Words-Rictameter

My comments on war!

Truckloads

of wasted words

line up on back lots, march

past shelled stone facades and down bleak

alleyways seeking young inquisitive

souls trapped in constipated minds

prone outside wisdom’s door

drenched in bullshit

scratching.

Rictameter is a scheme similar to Cinquain. Starting your first line with a two syllable word, you then

consecutively increase the number of syllables per line by two. i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 Then down again,
8, 6, 4, 2 Making the final line the same two syllable word you began with.

Sentinels

Giant knobby pines

guard Kalihi Valley Park

old rumination.

Last Train Home--Chinese Documentary

Last Train Home--Chinese Documentary


We met at eleven
on a Wednesday
for a Chinese movie
preceded by a fat American
lunch at the Pavilion cafe.

Overfed in our luxury as we
observed the spirit of these dynamic people with
backs bent in two, using simple tools
to farm and rebuild cities, to live in squalid
closet-size rooms for decades, and send money home
to finance dead dreams, to children who don’t understand why.

To children who just want their mommy and daddy to tuck them in at night.

To forsake what we would call normal.

Young couples who have to leave home at an early age
leave their babies to work in factories
to make jeans for spoiled Americans with 40 inch waistlines
until their fingers are bent
until they have become so numb
that they no longer remember
how to speak to their own children.

Migrant workers trapped in their nightmare lives
breathlessly pushing
against the mob
for days
for a train to take them back to
sons and daughters
who live in tiny shacks with grandma
reeking of
inadequate plumbing
looking to escape the duty of being first in their class.
Frustrated lonely children searching for an alternate life
away from their parents’ stark reality.
Sharp children still wide-eyed
more impatient as each year passes
for mommy and daddy’s annual visit.

Early To Bed

On the job by dawn

working outside comfort zone

why I'm retired.

Chasing Dinner

Over hill and dale

shadows

slash

bottle green bushes.

Bits of fur

matted and stained

flutter

in the brisk

morning air and

descend

in a grassy knoll

fragrant

with

lily of the valley

soaked

in

rosemary

and

thyme.

Vog Sunrise

The scarlet sun slices

an ebony frame

dazzling the Iwa birds

circling violet water lilies

blowing orange kisses as

amber tongues poke

tall banyan trees

greening with dew.

From Wikipedia:


Vog is a form of air pollution that results when sulfur dioxide and other gases and particles emitted by an erupting volcano react with oxygen and moisture in the presence of sunlight....


**The Frigate Bird is called `Iwa, in Hawaii.

Purple Tongued Dendrobium

Sinister motive
purple tongued dendrobium
lavish phony praise.

Common Myna Pair

Common Myna pair
each louder than the other
earplugs required.

Dads vs. Grandpas

Here's a little humor---Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there


Dads have it tough!

They have to correct their naughty children.
They have go to work and then come home and
work some more.
They have to fix what everyone else breaks.

They need to make an appointment for sex.


They have to wait for everything
wait for their wives to get ready
so they can go out and spend money
they don't have
on food that they already have
in the freezer.

They have to fight traffic-- twice a day-- FIVE DAYS A WEEK.

They have to wait
to have their toe nails trimmed
wait until Xmas for new shirts, ties, underwear and socks.

And wait for Father's Day to hear from their grown-up kids--Maybe!

Yeah--Dads have it tough!

Dads are good for car keys
an extra couple of bucks
and explaining about the birds and the bees.
They are dependable.
They are there when you need them and
if you get into trouble or just
want some support
even though they are usually in the dark
the last one you run to
after all else fails.

Yeah-Dads have it tough!

Dads get better with age
they mellow like an old pair of socks
that you can see through.
They become almost human
thoughtful and caring
they develop a sense of humor
soon after the last child
leaves the nest.

Yeah--Dads have it tough!

Now Grandpas-- they get all the perks
They get to spoil the grandkids
feed them junk food
buy them anything they want
drop them off two hours late
with toilet paper stuck to their shoes
giggling about some off color joke
they weren't supposed to hear.

SHH--remember not to tell your Dad!

Grandpas get all the news about school
and friends while Dad is plugging away
being responsible.

Grandpas know where all the bodies are buried.

Grandpas know how to fix that hole in the drywall
or that dent in the garage door
that your new car accidentally hit
while you were backing up
loaded on a few beers after graduation!

Yeah-- being a Dad is tough-- isn't that right Grandpa?

White Stephanotis

White Stephanotis
sings Halleluliah Chorus
releasing sweet scent.

Cannibal Stew

Native pot empty

warns open invitation

moist mortal dinner.

Swan

Graceful swimmer glides

spins lady photographer

twirls water haven.

Moth Orchid

Phalaenopsis grins

beneath moist canopy

echoes moths in flight.

Icarus

Icarus penquin

swims at local Hilton pool

swank amenities.

Fish Hawk

Fish Hawk scans green depth

stark orange focus intent

dinner at ten sharp.

Turtle Rant-Ku

The service here stinks

and we have to share our pool

with Antarctic birds.

Golden Shrimp Plants

Golden Shrimp flowers

trill lemon lollipop song

long throated glamour.

Spider Orchid

Arachnid visit

spins a welcoming mirror

engaging partner.

XYZ- XML

My rules for this one were to use XYZ in each sentence!!

Xian’s yellow xenon zephyr zooms-in-on Xanadu.

Xanthippe’s xenophobic XY zygote zigzags zip code zeroing-in-on zither.

Xerophyte x-ray yields yucca yelp zinging zinnia.

Zechariah’s XL zenana yields Yiddish zinfandel.

Yankee xylophonist yearns-for yodeling yogi in Zaire.

Xuzhou’s zucchini yardstick yields yawn in Zurich, yowl in Zanzibar.

Yonder xeriscape zooms in on zany yuppie in zoysia yelling for Yorkie.

Xuzhou: city in eastern China
XL: extra large
XML: a mark-up language that indicates the structural type of data
Zenana: harem
Zoysia: any of a genus of creeping perennial grasses having fine wiry leaves and including some used as lawn grasses.

Wayward--W’s-- Rictameter

Rictameter is a scheme similar to Cinquain. Starting your first line with a two syllable word, you then
consecutively increase the number of syllables per line by two. i.e. 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 Then down again,
8, 6, 4, 2 Making the final line the same two syllable word you began with.

Water

wheel, well- balanced

weather-beaten, waking

wanton wide-eyed water-lily

watching water-fowl win wistful wall-eye

warding west wind wending wasp-at

wee water-moccasin

wrestling wet, white

water.

Nurturing Hands

Working together means laulima in Hawaiian

Utilizing U’s --Cinquain

Cinquain is a short, usually unrhymed poem consisting of twenty-two syllables distributed
as 2, 4, 6, 8, 2, in five lines. It was developed by the Imagist poet, Adelaide Crapsey.

Urbane

Ukulele

Unorthodox union

Uttering Uxoriously

Uncle.

Telling T’s, cherita

I have been alliterating through the alphabet--learned alot of new words, and stretched with my friend Merriam Webster, however today with the letter T--I am reverting back to a structured form. Thanks everyone for hanging in there!!


Tongue tackles tact teaches transcendent taste.

Truth tweaks trust

trumps temptation.

Trilling To Try

taxes thoughts

trains to thwart triumph.

Savoring S’s

Sacred sage sachet soothes squeamish salamander.

Sarcasm sandwich smears self-righteous sheriff.

Sultry showers shift, splash Suns staunch splendor.

Splendid scene spanks sponsor spooning secretary.

Scavenger scarfs smoked sausage

signaling smiling shutterbug snapping sow.

Space-age spade shovels sovereign shit

spiking Saturn’s silent satellite.

Spotty spores sport sprouts splicing spleen.

Street walker streaks Safeway struts stringy stump

submitting suburbia- to sudden suffering.

Sugar survey summons sweet satisfaction

synapses signal synchronized symphony.

Pasta Poem

Pasta Poem


I’m having PASTA withdrawal, here!


I have a Casarecce condition

an epoch  Elbow gripe.

I am a Gemelli guerilla

married to Tommy Tortellini

who happens to be in a numb Noodle narcosis.

I live in petrified Penne poverty.

My revolver is stuck in a Rigatoni riddle

My bullets are ricocheting in a pool of ricotta

swearing in Shell shock.

You are playing with a vile villainess

wandering wired

without any Ziti-- zip

and now you dare tell me

we have no Linguini, no Spaghetti, and no meat for the sauce?

Goodbye!!

Scaling Peaks

Lanihuli peak

nimbly climbs to scenic heights

fanning free spirit.

Radiant R’s

Radiant R’s

Rabbit racism raises rabid rationale.

Raspberry ravine reaps red recognition.

Recluse recalls recent recital, redacting red herring.

Rose-bush refreshes remote refuge

Rigorous rhododendron receives rave reviews.

Registrar reiterates regrettable regulation resurrecting relic.

Relativity restates relevancy reforming redundancy.

Relax rectum remarks retarded reptile repulsing rhesus-monkey.

Resounding respect resolves resident recidivism.

Resilient response restrains retort rethinking retribution.

Revolutionary Road’s rough rotogravure receives rich rating.

Ribald riddle roams riposte route rippling rote rumor.

Q- Qualifiers

Q- Qualifiers

Quick-witted quack quizzes quintuplet quoting Queen.

Queer quatrain quenches querulous quarter master.

Quilting quiets Quaker questioning quick-step quadrille quandary.

Quesadilla quintessence quiets query quizzing quotidian quotient.

Quixotic quest quashes quetzal quagmire.

Québec’s quarters quadruple queue, quickening quid pro quo.

Quinoa quick bread quarantines quickie quean.

Quick sand quells quince quietly.

Quasar quark quantizes quantum theory quantifying quantum mechanics.

Quaint quadruped quiets quavering quail quenching quahog.

P- Pantheon

P- Pantheon

Parrot parapet parallels park peafowl

personalizing pewter phallus.

Peculiarly pleasing peasant pecks pencil perpetually

perplexing pesky pervert.

Philosopher photographs pithy poet pitching poetry.

Polyester position points-at ponderous politician perpetuating polytheism.

Prayer preceding preamble

precludes Presbyterian prenuptial agreement posing pressure-on Prince.

Prehistoric premier prejudges Pleistocene pretty boy

 probing proboscis producing profane propaganda

proposing propagation propriety.

Promoter promises proof

prostituting prostrate prosthesis pursuing pyramid scheme.

Pygmy pyorrhea putrefies parsley push-cart.

Oh-O, Opener’s

Oh-O, Opener’s

Overwrought octo-mom owns-up, offs obdurate OB-GYN.

Oblong oboe objects obsequiously-to octet overture overtone.

Octopus officiates-at one o’clock off-the-wall Olympics opening-at October ocean occurrence.

Opinionated opossum operates opposite otter orientation overriding ostrich.

Outlandish ornaments outline outhouse out-back.

Ovum outsmart ovary overtaking ovulation.

Opulent oval opal outshines odious old-maid.

Odometer oddity off-the-record.

Octogenarian oeuvre odyssey obtains offshore ocean oasis oozing oil.

Optimism orbits orchard origami ordaining organic orange order.

Osprey ordeal opens outlook outlawing oversight overseas.

Overrated oxymoron overstays officially overturning offensive octosyllabic offshoot.

Narcissistic N’s

Narcissistic N’s

Ninety nachos nail naked newt.

Nimble nanny goat needles nefarious nematode named Ned.

Name plate nuzzles narcissus narrowing down

 nasturtiums to national-seashore.

Nasty neurosis neuters newspaperman.

Nice nun nurtures naughty novice nursing nude novella.

Neighborhood network negotiates negativism.

Nazi naysayer navigates necromancy.

Neap tide notice necessitates noon-time nap.

Near-sighted nymph nibbles navel orange

neglecting nervy newcomer.

Noisy nightingale nips noteworthy night crawler.

Magnetic M’s

Magnetic M’s

Merry mermaid meets media maven, mixing merlot mimosas.

Mongoose muses- on miniscule mirror.

Multiple moose monkey-with moron meditating mindfully.

Magazine makes melee momentous.

Mad madam macramé’s Madonna.

Maggot magnet makes malodorous magpie merchandise.

Melancholy memory merchant mails

mellow music medley moving Makah males.

Malignant makeup malfunction maims mama.

Macadamia nut madrigal moves mademoiselle.

Malnourished muscle manipulating mongrel mystifies masses.

Make-believe memoir makes money maligning mandarin.

Maraschino marriage marbles marzipan.

Sign-Clarity Pyramid

SIGN

Local

Hawaiian

A hang loose greeting

in local tongue that means
Shaka brah, Right on tita!

“Proudly displayed on vintage T.”

My Photo Gallery on Fan Art Review

Two Clarity Pyramids---Mule & Dad

Clarity Pyramid


A poetry form designed and constructed by Jerry P. Quinn (FanStory.com writer Jer4Clarity).
Usually, this poem is center aligned when displayed. The first triplet has 1, 2, and 3 syllables. The title of the poem is the one-syllable word of the
first triplet, which is displayed in all capital letters. This line is followed by a two-syllable line,
and then there is a three-syllable line, both of which clarifies the definition of the poem, or is a synonym for the title.
The second triplet has 5, 6, and 7 syllables. Its design is based around a life event contained
within the triplet which helps give a poetic view or outlook on the first line (title).
The last line is 8 syllables, and is in quotations as this line contains a quote that defines the first
word (title).

MULE

Donkey

Ornery

Stubborn animal

munches on grassy shoots

rubs rider against rock face.

“Revisiting Kalaupapa”

DAD

Father

Dominant

Tough and tenacious

insists on perfection

iron hands, warm caring heart.

“Dinner on table at five, sharp”

Chewing Gum-- ABCdarian

Chewing Gum


Already

Been

Chewed gum—yuck I can’t get it off my shoe!

Darn these

Espadrilles Aunt

Fiona

Gus sighed

How is it that

I always manage to attract these sticky problems?

Just give me the damn phone

Kool-Aid’s fine by the way.

Let me just make this call

My cousin phoned  he thinks the world owes him.

Now where is that number?

Oh-here it is

PU3-8879

Quite the situation

Really burns my butt

So stupid

That one, he still can’t get a job let alone walk and chew gum.

Unskilled and unorganized

Vacant, vain, vegetable

Worthless, wallowing, walrus

XY misfit, xenophobe

Yowling, yokel

Zigzagging through life like a zombie—SHIT-it’s busy!

Leaking L's

Leaking L’s

Labia’s labyrinth labeled, laconically lambasting lambda.

Lamenting lady lactates laboriously.

Labrador retriever laments lactic acid lacuna.

Loose language lassos lanky Luddite.

 Lantana laced landscape, lauds lavish lawn.

Laxative launches leak, leaving leather-neck leery.

Left-handed liberalism legitimizes lenient levy.

Libra licks licorice lickety-split.

Life’s linoleum loves lemons.

Lint line-up links loge locale.

Lonesome lollipop looms lost.

Loquacious lord lavishes lovely lubricant.

Lucky lunatic lures lusty Lutheran.

Logic lulls loud Lithuanian librarian.

Lyric links lovelorn loggerhead longevity.

Loitering loincloth leaves luau loopy.

Lop-sided looter loses lunch.

Keening K’s

Keening K’s

Kelp keeps keel-boat kaput.

Kama’aina kamikaze keynotes komodo-dragon.

Knockwurst knish kills king-pin.

K--Kaleidoscope kidnaps karmic kick-stand.

Kennel kid  kibbles kibitzer.

Kitty kisses knave, knees knight.

Kiwi-fruit kinetics knock-down kinsman.

Knicker kiosk kindles kaffee klatsch.

Kremlinologist kowtows kumquat krugerrand.

Koi kayo klutz.

Knowledgable kindergartener knits kooky knapsack.

Juxtaposing J’s

Juxtaposing J’s

Janitor jettisons jabberwocky jam-session.

Jazzy jaw-dropping jaybird jitterbugs jubilantly.

Joyful judge jots just journal.

Jury junkie judges juicy jellybean.

January juggernaut jumps June juncture juggling July.

Jacquard jukebox jostles junior.

Joe Six-pack’s journey jilts jingoism.

Joe Blow jousts Japanese jack-pot.

Jambalaya jalapeno jazzes jaunty jeopardy.

Jongleur jogs jonquil jungle.

Jockey joneses jeep jenny.

Refrigerator Logic--Six-word Memoirs

Rest in peace, once green veggie.

Activia rules in this frigid closet.

Shut the door, there’s a draft!

Cold closet seeking, warm leftover companion.

Be quiet, the eggs are sleeping!

Age matters, step to the front.

Seal your wrappers, eliminate dry rot.

Old dark companions, foment strange odors.

Soda shoots off mouth, fizzes out.

Check ice tray weekly, for blockage.

Sponsoring green—penicillin, apply in rear.

Fire god

I took this photo last night as I watched the flames dancing in an outdoor pit!





 

Fire god

You are my drug,

the flame that licks my thighs

and sears me as you

order me about at your whim.

I am caught up in your glory.

I cannot see anything but you.

I do your bidding and loathe myself.

I am a puppet on a string.

I want you to be my friend

but you despise me.

You answer me

with your lies.

Your probing tongue

delivers cold venom,

courses through my veins

on a deliberate track that

hones in

on my heart and mind

with blinding speed,

screaming and

pleading for more,

ALWAYS MORE!

I want to get away from you

but you entice me

with your dual personality.

Your kind side shows itself

and then slips away.

I am riding high on a wave

fierce like a locomotive

lurching past my youth

plunging headlong into damnation

over and over again.

I am in a maze

forever trapped in time

locked away

for safekeeping

in a secret chamber

of your empty soul.

I open my mouth to

scream

and

no one hears.

My fingernails

leave a deep imprint.

Traces of my blood linger

and release another harbinger

intent on

Self-destruction.

My tomb lies broken,

my hairless corpse smolders,

my bones are encased in blistering bile.

Interpreting I’s

Interpreting I’s

Idle iconoclast identifies Icelandic Ice-Man.

Indian ideology idealizes isolated isthmus.

Ill-mannered ibis impede ibex.

Impassioned idiot idolizes imagist.

Igloo irregularity ignites irate investigation.

Immobile iguana immolated, invoking intense image.

Impressionist imprints incestuous incisor.

Indecisive index finger incrusted indecorously.

Indifferent industry initiates injustice.

Insatiable inquisitive inn-keeper inspires insomniac.

Institute instructs intramural interplanetary intercourse.

Insurance intent insults intelligence.

Inner-ear interference invites invention.

Intoxicated intestine invalidates invasive invitation.

Islamic islander irradiates ISBN issue.

Itinerant IUD iterates itself in Italian.

Harpooning H’s

Harpooning H’s

Haiku habit harkens hard-bound harmony.

Hail hallowed halter hanging-on hopeful hangar.

Hands-on handyman harpoons harem.

Happy harp harbor hawks hashish harvest.

Head-banger headquarters heightens heady heat-stroke.

Hello –Herr Heimlich!!

Hilda heralds hemorrhoid hemorrhage halted-in hind-most hemisphere.

Hibiscus hiccup highlights high-technology.

Hexameter hints-at historic hideaway.

Hispanic Hopi Hindu hippy hooks humble Hungarian Hun hunchback husband.

Humor hyperdermic hydrates humanity.

Hyperbole hypnotizes hypersensitive hippo.

Writing Retreat

****Awarded the Rain Bird 2010 Kolekolea Honorable Mention in Poetry


I look forward

each month to return to
Hale Akoakoa
at Windward Community College
for my regular shot of
Lillian,
my special coffee mug
brimming
with her enthusiasm

compelled
to share
listen and
be challenged.

To explore-- this strange new country
called writing,
jam-packed with strong verbs, and syntax
bubbling from a practiced source.

To discover my own special voice.

As I venture
into uncharted
atriums and lanais
sheltered by banyan trees,
while grinding on
chocolate chip cookies
cantaloupes
and cherries.

To boldly go
on a
lyrical expedition,
serenaded
by
cellos
chickens
and a heart stopping
rendition
of cock a doodle doo.

Garnering G's

Garnering G’s

Gallic gadflies gaff gallant gamecock gauging galley.

Garrulous game garners gangplank.

Garden gargoyle garrotes garter snake.

Geisha gets gaudy gazebo, ghastly garden.

Ghetto gentrification gives gauche gatecrasher generous grade.

Gecko geek genially genuflects, gleaning gender.

Glacier glass gleams grace.

Goose gossip grades gradualism.

Group grinds gorp.

Grape gratis greets grimace.

Gross grub groans gruff grocer!

Guacamole gulch guarantees guerilla guidance.

Gutsy Gurkha grasps guava guitar.

Gesundheit--giant germ!

Gleeful girdle give-away, girlfriends giggle gladly.

Forking F's

Continuing on my journey through the alphabet!!

Forking F’s

Fabian faces-off fancy falcon famous for fatal faux pas.

Federal featherweight father’s feral feline.

Ferocious female finds fence favorite feature.

Flaccid ferret flashback’s following festival field-testing flannel.

Filipino film figure fillets Finnish fish, finds fleshy finger tip fondue.

Frisky flirt fondles florid floozy.

Flypaper font foments frenzied folk-art.

Foreign foreclosure foreshadows four-square foul-up.

Frantic fowl free frisky friend.

Frightful four-o’clock  fracas fricassees frog.

Fugitive from fudge factory furthers futurism.

Enlisting E’s

FYI--this month , my twelvth month of writing a poem a day,

I'm going through the alphabet--stretching a bit with my friend Merriam-Webster (dictionary)

Enlisting E’s

Engaging  elusive elands
 enable

elbow room elegance,

embrace emollient emissions.

Emir’s emerald

embroils emissary

eating enchilada.

Endangered enclave ends epic erection.

Elite ermine erase erogenous Elizabethan era evangelizing elk.

Egret elixir experiment explodes exponentially.

Egregious ethernet euphoria excludes

eighty ethnic European elders.

Evangelist excogitates exceptional expletive
exhibits eyeball.

Ezra extracts

elephantine eyewitness eliciting

elevator elegy.

Dealing D's

FYI--this month , my twelvth month of writing a poem a day,
I'm going through the alphabet--stretching a bit with my friend Merriam-Webster (dictionary)



Dealing D’s

Dainty debutante dabbles daily, dribbling drama.

Damask dandelion decor decoded, drawn dominantly defining domicile.

Defiant definition decrys democratic deficit, dividing district.

Diphthong diplomacy doesn't deter dedicated dairyman.

Dinosaur dioxin disease deceitfully delivered disguises dumping duct.

Disagreeable disc jockey drifts dreamlike, drenching druid.

Disclaimer discerned daring Darwin database.

Duplicity duress dysfunction delivers dauntless dead end.

Dry-run disarmament dumbfounds duenna duly dudgeoned.

Culling C’s

Culling C’s

Captivating carambola caresses

caribou caricature.

Careworn caregiver carves casaba carp.

Caribbean carnage catapults cataclysm.

Cautious cauliflower caws celibacy.

Cerulean cetaceans challenge chimera.

Chimpanzee chimes chilly chorus.

Chrysanthemum cloisonné clearance closeout.

Close-knit clique clones club-sandwich.

Costumed Cossack counts coyote.

Creature craves credit.

Crocodile cultivates cyst.

Boogie Fever

Boogie Fever by Cornelia DeDona

Make Your Own Book

Meadow Pause

Meadow Pause by Cornelia DeDona

Make Your Own Book

Bossy B’s

Bossy B's

Bill’s biplane

buzzes blind blond bombshell.

Blowsy blueprint

boasts blue-cheese.

Blue whale boggles

bohemian.

Bonze boos boodle.

Bonny buxom bookworm

butters butcher.

Bumptious Bookie

bugs bookseller.

Boor borrows breast plate

brakes bramble branch.

Biological breach

breeds bucolic buddy.

Bulky buttock

bypasses Byzantine bystander.

Warrior Cat

Go to http://hazardcat.blogspot.com/
to see my poem, published 5-7-10

Accruing A's

Accruing A’s

Aseptic arm

articulates assertive

abeyance astride

assassin.

Abandoned arboretum abuts

arid archipelago

anticipating anticlimax.

Antique apothecary

appends appalling

Antler art.

Adios, Adieu, Arrivederce,

Auf Wiedersehn

Aloha!!

Paradise Found

I’m calling down my muse.

He’s calling up the ocean’s warrior fish.

The carp swim.

The tilapias continue to breed.

The golden koi fountain shoots water 24/7

calming the inner crimson and

the outside world dissolves

into pink, indigo

and jade.

The days roll by

flipping their tails at us

circling

jumping and splashing

in spring fed ponds

fertilizing

plum orchids

basting orange

bromeliads and

healthy green papaya

dripping

in the sun.

Gray Dawn

Gray dawn yanks down the covers

and proceeds to pour in light

 shifting the mask.

Emerald cliffs loom from the shadows

sharp points and dark outlines

line up and

demand recognition

as green splashes against gray

waving at an orange beauty

by the water’s edge

blushing content

finally

from the notice.

MOM--Six Word Memoirs

Calms outbursts tucks hanky in sleeve.

A safe port in fierce storm.

Irreplaceable treasure, guards key to contentment.

Uses Seeing Eye dog when necessary.

Pulls rabbits out of hats daily.

The best medicine, money can buy.

Unpaid cook, maid, and phone operator.

Domestic goddess trained on the job.

Gray hair, chipped nails, bright smile.

Sensitive tornado sweeps away unreasonable conflict.

MAY SLips in

May slips in unannounced




humming


bringing style and verve


as last month’s voice loiters


in a sad corridor


released from the cast.


A bouquet of white and purple lilac follows


freshly cut and arranged.


Their sweet scent lingers


long into the night


exciting


young noses


singing


a new song.

Mendacity

Mendacity

detects you from a corner

next to the potted Anthurium,

a poster child for normal behavior

in the ghetto.

It sneaks up and tries to get cozy

then proceeds to suffocate you with an invitation

to ponder

justifying past deeds,lining them up for the firing squad

aiming for the whites, in a sea of gray.

Drowning in delusion

it comes up for one last gulp

one last vain attempt,

to stay alive.

Lawns Horses and Pigs

We moved into our new, old house in 1985.

A new adventure, on
a dead end road in the country,
away from the noise and traffic,
a piece of the rock to call our own.
2.1 acres that we had to rope and tame
rough doesn’t even begin to explain it.
Imagine carving out a lawn with hand tools
and brute strength and doing it after work with lanterns into the night.
It took years to even think about having a lawn,
fifteen years to be exact, by then we had two houses
and a three car detached garage.
Add fruit trees, flowers and a pond not to mention a giant lawn.
Our ancestors would have been proud.

In the beginning we purchased a bull
and went to work.
During the day we had our business to attend to
Roofing and Vinyl siding, when it was slow we painted and did interior renovations, hell we did it all.
After work sometimes by flashlight
we would pull weeds, and hack away at California grass
about six feet high tough and tangled
choking upon itself in the humid tropical clime.

Bully the steer was our first new addition to the family, and then before I knew it we had Billy and Jennifer, two goats and then chickens and roosters, not just any chickens mind you, we had feather dusters. After that the ducks came along, six of them, and they would be joined by six geese, two horses Beauty and Hoku, which you couldn’t ride just one, both had to ridden or else, and I began to think the farm life was for me--except for one thing

I object to ducks swimming in my pool-- too much poop
and with the poop came the flies, so many flies
that I couldn’t enjoy laying out by the pool in the sun after work when I wasn’t doing anything--yeah right!

Oh and did I mention the pig--

did you know that horses and pigs don’t get along?

Excavating Bones

Inspired by Poem a Day--Academy of American Poets April 2010 and by Spencer Johnson's, "Who Moved My Cheese."

Excavating Bones

Skeleton in ice

gently thawed

and cradled;

hair
and bone

worn down to marrow.

Frigid strength

icy lover;

your contact sears

callous scrutiny.

I can hear your muffled scream

preserved

in time’s frosty cavern,

concealed in cheese

station C, and me

in E, advanced and alone.

Caterpillar Dreams

Caterpillar Dreams

Inch your way

on tiny feet

climb into the tree of dreams.

You are not yourself

the monarch lurks inside.

Spin

a strong silk pad.

Sleep,

you are not yourself

the monarch lurks inside.

Hunger for

red clover

goldenrod and

fluttering breezes

beneath the cool shade

of the

stately palm.

You are not yourself

the monarch lurks inside.

Awake

from nature’s baptism.

Shed your former skin.

Declare your magnificence.

Dance atop

yesterday’s fragile petals

soar into the callous wind.

Fly

dazzling insect.

Show off your large

tawny orange and black wings.

Rise

potent prince,

wander throughout the provinces.

You are magnificent.

You are Mozart’s Symphony No. 40 in G minor.

Fly brilliant monarch,

Fly!

Compost at Dawn

Up at Three—not a pretty sight!!


They say the older you get the less sleep you need.

I’m here to tell you that they are WRONG whoever THEY ARE.

It is a bald faced LIE.

Those THEY’s need a good bitch slapping

and I know just the person to do the job.

No thinking about it or talking it over--just a grim reaper.

That’s what you get when you mess

with a crazy person—two shots directly

into the brain—no questions

no dilly dallying

just cold hard steel

right between the eyes

and then I’ll go work in my garden,

start a compost pile.

Don’t you love fertilizer?

The flowers love it

I can hear them screaming now

pile it on—we’re starving here!!

And by the way--Have you ever heard of this other element—it’s called WATER!!!

We don’t have any feet or THUMBS,

so if you could just

pay us some attention

we will show you

something nice to look at

tomorrow morning,

when you are still awake

and NOT SLEEPING!!

Sneaking up on Roosters

They wander the windward campus

 clucking amongst themselves.

Searching for the most juicy bug, fighting

for crumbs tossed by meandering poets and writers,

breaking for lunch and a stroll.

Intellectual folk who thirst for

candid photos of roosters

and hens, stray cats, grasshoppers or

even dead centipedes, adjusting optical zooms

and praying for that perfect shot.

The shot that will

inspire; stop them dead in their tracks,

produce sighs and email home clearly, to Mom and Dad.

Contemplating the Wind

The wind rises at three a.m.

still drunk as it rushes about

looking for things to stir up.

It snakes the orange and pink bougainvilleas

as it reshuffles their geometry.

It blusters at the Manila palm

who bend and bow

as it howls at the front door

demanding to be let in.

It spews loose sediment

as it turns away

relentless and finally settles

on a blade of grass

and lifts it up

skipping it across the driveway.

A Call to Reason

The thing about reason is it
gets raped from behind;
leaves too many doors open
to getting your head chopped off.
As an infant, we start out with infinite trust
and if we are lucky we leave this world
relatively intact, abused but whole.

Time is the key.

Since the beginning man
has killed. It is instilled
into our hard drives. We learn how to protect ourselves
from an early age something that never loses its
significance lest we fall victim to indifference, obscurity
and terrorists plotting to infuse us with their religion.
We sit on a lower rung
on the ladder of evolution
pushing all the wrong buttons
pondering the ape/man ratio
erasing unpleasant history from memory
like a crack addict obsessed with getting his next high.
We live in a world where
stupidity reigns alongside legalization
brothers on the same see-saw.

Only until we are able to
subdue these primal urges
will we ever be able to move up
the ladder, whether it be here
or as a future virus on a brand new planet.

Time holds the key.