Monday, April 30, 2012

Not Far From Here

A boy scout caught in the tornado's path
under his cot in a musty canvas tent
repeats his motto like a mantra
and it helps to steady him,
but has no effect at all on the wind.

There are these times when anything you can say,
any explanation you can offer,
is just weak and falls flat.

God's Will
someone will say and
should probably be slapped.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Blow Out

Mr. Hyde is no
longer hiding
apparently.

Laughing Hyenas - Desolate Son

Song Of The Slain

I was remembering
something horrible,
a moose engaged in its final
battle with wolves
bleeding, tiring, dying
and not only that
but there were ravens
hectoring it -
going after its eyes.

We often romanticize nature,
what we call its harmony,
but when someone needs to eat
someone else is going to get
their heart
broken.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Reflected

Sadly, we watch a greying man
under great and unconscious beauty
and he is thinking about the time wasted
imagining it is so long
hungry, longing, waiting
realizing now the ship has sailed
he can still see it on the horizon
wondering how he missed its docking
the beauty is still visible
even if he has to squint
but he cannot answer
whether it could ever
really be touched let alone
held.

Neruda - Tonight I Can Write

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Campaign

I noticed something recently
one of those trite bits of advice
I saw posted somewhere
telling me to stop bashing what I hate
and start promoting what I love
so let me tell you how good it is
to have ringing in your ears twenty-four hours
after receiving a dose of raw live rock and roll
flinging your body around
remembering your age and then ditching it
let me talk to you for a second about looking into the eyes of a friend
after a long absence and what it's like to realize
you're getting another chance to do so
then there's buying a Coke for an awkward DJ
you believe knows something you also know
based on the last song he played and his shy salute
and finally let me put in a plug for taking the hand of
a little boy who thinks you're pretty cool and 
way stronger than his mean old gym teacher.


























Saturday, April 21, 2012

Circo

Change of Plan


I find him trying to shake his older brother awake
and call him away from that.
He hugs my arm
but doesn't speak of what frightens him.
I take him with me to buy donuts,
and tell him I'll stay until the others
wake up.
All is well again.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Gustless

What's the nautical term
for that place of no wind
to fill the sails
for days at a time?

This ain't positive thinking.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Unseasonably

It's only the middle of April
and yesterday was over 90 degrees.
I watched the sun set
and it seemed to me like it was staring
hungrily, with malice, or vengeance
at us
a red and angry face
setting fire to this dry horizon
have you come to burn us down?
everyone is outside celebrating in summer clothes

I Am A Demon And I Love Rock and Roll


A cautionary tale for you on your journey, MRM. The cars have nothing to do with the song, but it was the only version I could find on You Tube. Sweatmaster - a fine name for a band.


Sunday, April 15, 2012

Ramones - The Whole Thing


Okay, MRM. Here's one more iconic record from 70's rock. Some say the Ramones saved rock n roll from certain death single handedly.

J. Geils Band - Give It To Me


Here's something a little brighter from the 70's for MRM. I couldn't find any full albums posted on You Tube, but I highly recommend just about everything they did in the 1970s.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Dial It Back A Notch

Sitting in a meeting today with too much caffeine
several people spoke up - at length -
monotonous, unproductive length
and I had to really clamp down on myself
to keep from turning around to identify and brow-beat
the idiot speaking.

There was a silent man sitting next to me
and I kept looking at him out of the corner of my eye
he was reading something in his lap
and from my vantage point, it looked
as if his eyes were closed
in fact, he looked like he was dead
and I was kneeling beside his open casket
viewing his waxy white profile
hollowed eye sockets
frowning mouth
and that terrible stillness...

that cooled me out.

Black Sabbath - Paranoid (Full Album)


While the other kids were listening to disco, I was listening to this, and scaring myself silly. This had the greatest impact on me at that age. Hold on to your soul, MRM.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Jethro Tull - Aqualung (Full Album)


This was another one from my early formative years. Different from anything else being played. Maybe I was 10 years old, and this spoke to me of dark places in the world and in myself that I already sensed but no one wanted me to see. I don't blame them.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Something Vaguely Stirs

A moment of ignition
may it shove me forward
slap me awake
splash me back to life
and throw me into the arena.

I might only have a moment,
but I want to know it.

Deep Purple - Machine Head (Entire Album)


This is another one of those albums that was a giant boulder in my rock and roll foundation. MRM, I hope you can dig it!

Monday, April 9, 2012

Easter Gathering

What a blur,
what a stumble
this time thing,
these changes...

Awareness comes like
the moment when
a roiling river's torrent
spits you up to the surface...

You gulp a single breath
of air through your mouth,
catch a flash of sky and sunshine,
and hear someone yelling something
you can't make sense of
before the river rolls you back under...

Each time you break the surface
there's such incredible relief
followed immediately by panic.

Trio Los Panchos

Friday, April 6, 2012

Circular Argument

"Hey, how are you?"
"Alright...could be better."
"Could be worse too, right?"
"Guess so".
"Hey at least we're alive. That's important."

Something like that's been said
about one hundred times this morning
right outside this door,
and I'm in here screaming silently
which may be a departure
from this shitty script or
maybe it's just me
on cue.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Yes, I Know Them.

Stop Shooting People Because You Were Teased

A clash of cultures
and the on-going unrest
broils both within me
and without...

I guess I'll stand for it.

Another seven down for a perceived afront,
in the middle of a hectic class schedule,
you hurt me, dissed me, made me look the fool,
but you didn't know how far I'd go,

The stuff I'm made of...

You guess we all deserve it,
or none of us do.
What side of the river is yours?

These infantile egg-shell egos
throwing acid in a face
to reflect their own imagined
loss of face.

Are you now righteous, ghoul?
Your situation righted?

We are still nowhere and
ghosts.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Green Hill Park

As far as fifteen seconds can take you
up-hill at a sprint,
you are not a boy any longer,
not your body,
as you wait for the return of your breath
at the base of the hill with eyes downcast
broken glass, a used condom, the thick smell
of marijuana seems to have settled in to
this valley even though
there is no one else
around.

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