Saturday, February 27, 2016

Memories of Beer



a hot numbness
of happiness, wet
and sends us
to that sweet deadly zone
            that craves the next
            and the next again

release that makes carefree
but wary the supply may dry

living for the comfort cocoon,
for the lullaby music
of the crack of can
or the vacuum kiss
of the frost-smoke bottle

remembering to be slave
to that cold kiss,
gateway 
to an uncertain heaven


Saturday, February 20, 2016

On the Peter Pan Bus



Peter Pan tosses us,
an early Friday escape
from the choking rush hour

Peter Pan implores, begs us
to claw our current selves
away
and be children again
but we decline,

eyeing sideways
the awkward smattering
of humanity
slicing down the American highway
in these two, too-slow hours.

Bring us, save us
oh Tower of Babel on wheels!
Somewhere among our cramped ranks
is a warrior poet
hurtling head-first
into glory.


Friday, February 5, 2016

Winter in Queens



in warren dens
of clutter
dust mist
swirls a dance
as needle winds
scream past
draughty windows

burrowed
above the hard streets
where America gets molded
one rough day at a time
the rough clay
drawn from hard lots
crafted
over patched blacktop
and spotted sidewalks

scramble down
teeming streets
stop-go, packed-hell
commute
lets us daydream
our way
to destiny