At night I close my eyes and thus go blind I hope when I wake up I’ll see the light It seems I always do; I always find My blindness only lasts throughout the night Sometimes when I go blind I live my dreams Sometimes the Mares of Night assault my peace When I go blind, reality, it seems Is lost as subtle fantasies increase It’s only sight, they say; it’s just one sense We all go blind at times; sometimes it’s choice At times the thought of darkness is intense At times it seems my blindness finds a voice You see the noise that lingers in your mind? The noise of darkened dreams proclaims me blind.
Blindness
August 20th, 2023The Kilted Sonneteer
August 19th, 2023
It’s me you see the Kilted Sonneteer
My life is thus composed iambically
My feet are shod to take me far or near
I am a Kilted Sonneteer you see
A kilt to honor sonneteers of yore
Like Burns who dealt with bullshit from “the crown”
A tribute to the kilt he never wore
In dress or verse I’d never let him down
My songs are often metered by my kilt
My kilt a simple metaphoric line
Come look and see the sonnets I have built
The title “Kilted Sonneteer” is mine
And thus I share my sonnets far and near
Because I am The Kilted Sonneteer
Streams of Smoke
August 14th, 2023I watch the streams of smoke as I exhale They show me words I never knew I knew They seem to know the breath they would regale The breath, the smoke, a wispy grayish blue The streams of smoke are remnants of a gift A gift from Mother Earth who loves to give I watch them rise above; I watch them lift Above the earth, where stories often live The stories of the smoke begets the streams (Who says “begets” unless they’re fuckin’ high) The stories fill the smoke with more than dreams And dreams of smoke will lift us by and by It makes no sense, these things of which we spoke But sense is not the realm of streams of smoke.
Faith
August 9th, 2023Faith: Because in a world which requires us to choose between fantasy and reality, sometimes it just feels good to lie to oneself.
Kitty
August 4th, 2023
The Lebanon Green
August 3rd, 2023To the tune of “The Farmer in the Dell
I. Come walk around the green Come walk around the green Let's go to Lebanon To walk around the green II. The green is long and wide The green is long and wide Spread out in Lebanon The green is long and wide III. The Revolution came The Revolution came Right through Connecticut The Revolution came IV. The soldiers marched to war The soldiers marched to war Right here, across the green The soldiers marched to war V. Our Revolution's heart Our Revolution's heart Beat here in Lebanon Our Revolution's heart VI. Our history is strong Our history is strong Right here in Lebanon Our history is strong
The Poet
July 15th, 2023The poet’s mind is closed the door is locked A metaphor is nothing but a lie All poetry that’s written should be mocked Let’s celebrate when all the poets die Do you remember how it feels to be Or not to be a poem in a play The world inside the mind you’ll never see I wish the world outside would go away Yes I’m a poet and my mind is shut It makes it easy to reject your words In poetry the cadences are cut In smelly chunks of similaic turds So crumble this one up and wipe your ass If poetry attacks you, it will pass.
Gedagtes Oor Suid Afrika Vir My Mense
July 9th, 2023Toe wou ek in Suid Afrika gebly Toe was ek “ingevoerde boer” genoem Toe het geliefde vriende daan gesê “Nou moet jy net ‘n meise vind, ‘n bloem!” En nou ek wil ‘n bietje kerrie hê En rys. Ek hou van blatjang op my kos ‘N braai is altyd lekker. Glo my! (Ten minste stuur my fotos in die pos) Ek wou “Die Stem” nog weer met jou gesing Ek mis die Kersfees in ‘n somer maand Onthou ek alle woorde word net "ding" Die taale meng in die geliefde land! Gedagtes kom natuurlik nog aan my Want wil ek in Suid Afrika gebly.
Rainbow Sublime
June 8th, 2023
The stories of the rainbow have been told In myth and magic since the dawn of time Some stories we have heard are very old But old or new, such stories are sublime Sublimity is rainbows in a word The words of rainbows form a story arc The colors of the rainbow can be heard As water droplets leave their promised mark A bridge, a bow, a promise, just a few Of rainbow stories heard or felt or seen A sunlit world of water, clear and blue A rainbow tree with leaves of rainbow green Unique, the rainbow story has no end Forever’s how the rainbow has been penned.
Scarecrow of Oz Poetry
June 7th, 2023
With his head full of brains, the Scarecrow decided to compose sonnets for and about the two best friends: Dorothy Gale and Princess Ozma of Oz. He stood up as straight as he could and spoke to the assembled Court of Ozma, Princess and Queen of Oz. In his hand was a scroll he unrolled to read from. “My dear friends, here are four sonnets celebrating the history of the best friends Oz has ever known: Dorothy and Ozma Meet When Dorothy met Ozma, both felt love The love one feels when friends are ever true True friends can be like rainbows up above In Emerald City love can be true-blue The two that met as friends became much more The two we know and feel their friendship true Like diamonds sparkle, love begets rapport The trust these two embraced was fresh and new It’s always new each time we come to trust To trust the truth of friendship, love’s embrace It’s like some kind of magic fairy dust At times it brings a smile to your face They smiled with joy at magic love they found Together Oz would be their common ground. Ozma and Dorothy Rule When Ozma ruled in Oz and Dorothy came She came to see her friend, the goodly queen The princess ruled, yes Ozma was her name Their friendship was the best you’ve ever seen So good that Ozma gave her friend the throne When she had things to do in fairyland She went to see Queen Lurline who was known As one in Oz who was both good and grand And so by trust they ruled in Oz as one If “ruled” is what you call togetherness They knew their work in Oz was never done Together “no” was no and “yes” was yes Their friendship grew through ruling all with care And friendship’s love was present everywhere. Dorothy and Ozma Part When Dorothy and Ozma had to part They hoped their love forever strong would dwell When love is found in any loving heart The strength of love is something we should tell We tell it like a story, strong and dear (Two dear ones I’ve composed these poems for) Their story bears their love both far and near Historically there’s love and so much more What’s more than love you say? Well I’ll reply There’s Dorothy and Ozma, like a song A song that sweeps you up into the sky As if it knows where love and you belong The princess and her friend will always be A monument to love’s sweet history. Ozma and Dorothy Kiss When Ozma wanted Dorothy to stay She leaned in close and gifted her a kiss Tornados twist and take us far away But oftentimes tornados lead to this The love of friends too true to leave behind Waits time and time again for sweet return Though never lost it may be hard to find A lesson Dorothy Gale was quick to learn She fell in love with Ozma here in Oz And Princess Ozma fell in love with her They felt their kindred love would never pause They kissed goodbye with love and friendship pure The land of Oz will always draw you home And kiss you when you feel the need to roam.” Princess Ozma had a tear of happiness in her eye as she addressed the Scarecrow poet while handing him a golden pen that appeared in her hand. “For composing such beautiful poetry, I hereby appoint you to replace Sir Dashemoff Daily as the official Poet Laureate of Oz.”
Scarecrow Image by W. W. Denslow, 1900
Dorothy and Ozma Image by John Rea Neill, 1907