work gloves

Sri Krishna had it wrong
we are not on this Earth
for self-denial, culminating
in Union with the Divine

Jesus didn't have it right
either
with his crucifixion
offering his body
to cannibalism
for our salvation

the smell of garbage
overtaking our planet
implies rather, that we put on
our work gloves

we are here to love
so strangely and strongly
that the problem of suffering
becomes immaterial

Pez

you make me
want to write happy poetry
you, gesticulator
with tongue and pen

since I've known you
you've inspired me
to see things
with mirrored glasses
boldly reflecting back
the sunlight

in the cafe of the cosmic frappe

I bought
an original thought
from the woman
sitting to my left

in the cafe
of the cosmic frappe
this was no
ordinary theft

the conception
of this deception
took only a moment
of time

this stealing
turned out to be healing
twas a medicinal
crime

buried in our hearts

we have no more lies to tell
no more fabrications from the realm
of wanting more

but tales abound
in this senseless, stark
and modern world

we have stories to share

they are buried
in our hearts
beneath the landfills
the bank buildings
the nuclear dumping grounds

and along with
the truths we find there,
a new kind of world
will be excavated

land with no name

I have no story
no past
no end in sight
I exist
solely
in a weary cartographer's
troubled dream
a land
with no name
and verdant beauty
unchartable

I attempt a love poem

I could write
a sonnet for you,
for your beauty, your humor
your graciousness and charity
but lots of women
have these qualities
and God forbid
I let my foolish heart
eclipse the plain,
manila-folder full
of reason

snow this spring

Raw days
Spring
Not winter
Winter
Not warm
Snow
This spring

We will have
Fun tonight
In the tense triangle
of the teeming
Resentment

We will laugh
And note
each others'
Peculiarities

They will grow
On us tonight
Will grow hair
Inside
Our throats

We will dodge
Eye contact
Crack jokes
With double
Meanings,
Snide
In between
secret smiles
hiding in the way
only those who
hide from each other,
every weekday
from nine to five
can manage