Smoke and Sand

Smoke and Sand

they greedily grabbed at the insubstantial stuff

hoping it would fill the void

left wondering which state is better

the familiarity of the void

or the unsatisfying gluttony of feasting

on what could never sustain

knowing the answer

they grabbed their fork

and feasted

holding oblivion back

for just a little while longer

 praying for a stone or splinter

to chew on. 

Street Life

 
Raised voices, horns, sirens and barkers
Proof of Life
this steady din of life with its
trebles and rhythm
discordant yet belonging
concrete and weeds
 
Abandoned lots
Abandoned buildings
makeshift playgrounds
labs
and Koch
 
Kicking cans and “working girls”
pimp walking on the right side
jaywalking was a way of life
 
Latch key kids
staring around corners
waiting for the dolls to move
 
Jungle gym construction sites
Spalding handball and boomboxes
new concrete and skateboards
 
Flickering street lights
in the city gloom
turning all grey, blue
 
Grey walls and graffiti
Hell’s Angels and Encampments
Artists and hucksters
 
Raised voices, horns, sirens and barkers
 
Yeah, the city may have slept
But its denizens didn’t

The Alchemy of Sound

Remembering

Songs of seagulls picking at the ocean

Wind wafting through willow trees

Sprites clapping the leaves

The wushhh of tall green grass dancing in the wind

The loud silence of the stars

The Alchemy of Sound

Closing my eyes and pretending the breeze is green

When the melody must be enough

Lines in the Sand

 

They looked at their friend and

proclaimed, exclaimed, and declared

“I can’t, I can’t, I can’t!”

 Their friend looked back,

and simply said,

“But you did, it’s done, you won.”

“What’s next?”