Balancing accounts, my most hated chore,
Invoices piling higher than ever before.
Lists of too many charges haunt me today,
Lamenting the weight of each bill to pay.
To the boy who studied by the roadside resto’s dim flicker,
muffling jeers with pages turned in stubborn hands -
each “You’ll fail!” dissolved into the steam
of instant coffee, your only shield against the dark.
They said your mind's just a room with locked doors,
but you wore down the keys with every sleepless night.
The floor where you crouched to hide report cards
now holds letters addressed to cities far and wde.
Your palms, cracked from scrubbing car windows clean,
now holds invoices and keyboards, but still bear the stain
of soap and sweat - quiet proof of the hours
you traded for a future no one else could name.
You don’t shout your wins. They hum in the calm
of a rented flat where silence feels like peace.
The child who clutched pencils like lifelines
smiles, finally, at how far a stubborn heart can reach.
-
It's was snowing like crazy
my woman and I were alone
somebody rung our number
calling me on the phone
my woman answered the call
started that Hello trip
gabbing bout the
weather
said it was so nice
for she and I to be together
giggled and cackled some more
I picked up the paper off the floor
what is this
I began to read
ah nah I said can it be
invoices to some sexy things
and there was a bag full
of the sexy things
a cocky smile
adorn my face
while she talked I cleaned up the place
left the room stayed a while
smoked a cigar you know my style
came back in
she was in the ladies room
I sat back down
doing what I had been doing
looked round that bag was gone
saw it last when she was
on the phone
door opened up
Damn! who came out
You like that
you like that
I do, I do, Ido
lick it up
it's right now
lick it up
only you know how
Lick it up
it's the right thing to do
lick it up
cause you know I love you
The organization makes a package
With questions and answers forms
And videos to be used at
Engament parties.
My cousin Madder told me
He and one of the actors
In involved with one movie
Said some sciences looked
Like thong commercials
While others were borderlines
Religious. He favored the ones
That were sports related.
It is said to be done to involve
Audience to the wedding
The flock of the religion
Respect to both families
Don't let your audience become
a crowd.
Inclusion and how much involment
Both parties will allow
Drama vixens and Comforting Dudes
And Soothy Rubrite are not invited and why.
Why it is important to involve certain people
And why exclusion of some should be considered
The package contains documents
For receipts and invoices.
Ledgers for
Caters
Dee Jays
Clothing rentals and
Purchase
Gas allotments
Video
Scripts
Cheers
Prayers
Offerings of congratulations
Best ways to gift
Explainstion of exclusion
And
Inclusion
Using respectful words
And phrases
The movie is so good
You can watch it like
A regular movie
Our mistakes are paid
in generations of denial
Old footsteps defaulting,
new judgments on file
The future in debt
to invoices past
tomorrow debentured
—arrears mounting fast
(Dreamsleep: April, 2022)
I am befuddled by these spirits visiting me
In the middle of the night with shrill voices
Whispering devilish messages, full of glee,
Enhancing my weariness for the mystery
Suggesting a plethora of available choices
I am befuddled by these spirits visiting me.
Intimate, acquainted with my own history
In the background, I hear familiar noises
Whispering devilish messages, full of glee.
Obviously meant for a night-time delivery
And since sometimes my heart rejoices
I am befuddled by these spirits visiting me.
Remarkable messages linger in my memory
Some are unwanted like annoying invoices
Whispering devilish messages, full of glee
Upon awakening I recall scenarios of reverie
I seek to place a name to remembered voices
I am befuddled by these spirits visiting me
Whispering devilish messages, full of glee.
Written August 27, 2021
Appeared in "It's Still Poetry"
Poetry Soup Anthology - 2021
Remembering all the many years
we called on you to drop your fears.
Audits we said you would not fail
if signature were by email.
And invoices in copies sent
would not end up with noses bent.
We screamed paperless for so long
and all it took was a viral song.
You said we’d never work from home
Doing conferences by phone,
or Zoom which we had for a decade.
You stifled every sensible upgrade.
Then once the threat got up in your face
In two weeks the undoable was in place.
a house with the bottom up
thrown clothes, clutter, books everywhere
manuscripts, invoices
pencils, drawing boards
no guests
no holiday tables
just a shadow of last year
I went out and watched the fireworks
the most beautiful fireworks in my life
they were ordered in writing games
new games
in dazzling dreams
in seamless beauty
when they melted
I felt alone and went home
in the night between the years
a man sat down
he washed the dishes
he was silent
he stayed with me
replacing the remaining kitten in the country
(how gentle to be
how good
to support a woman who has no desire for anything?)
as follows
I put a cart, ABBA, on the Internet
he smiled
and from his phone I heard a blues
fear and truth have taken hold
gently
the heat melted the snow
someone sketches a beginning
with old brushes
When life is coming to an end, my friend,
you learn to treasure this godsend, my friend.
When death has come, you count every second
and every moment you can spend, my friend.
The ruthless death takes all that you hold dear:
your ladylove and your best friend, my friend,
your dog, your money, your unpaid invoices
and, surely, you but let's pretend, my friend,
that death is just a speculative concept
that we have yet to comprehend, my friend.
Blazing bush-fire rages in the Savannah
With bright red eyes and fast moving legs
One ponders survival of flora and fauna
But it is not an ordinary wild bush fire
With amorphous and elastic fiery tongue
He is sectarian, wise but morally corrupt
Selecting only humans and sparing the rest
He sees, smells and burns them to stillness
Searching in hotels, homestead and bushes
Licking their bottoms and fanning flames
Whirlwind sends invoices to every house
As the stars rise, twinkle and set in youth
With no expert fire extinguishers in action
And fog covering the eyesight of the victims
Savannah bush fire merry-makes uninterrupted
In the land that may soon become catacombs