Irish Women

starlight beauty

drawn to kiss lightly

over every freckle

glowing face,

smile a shining emerald

of lost lands

smooth strong arms

shaped

to carry babies and muskets

eyes alight

with the power

of sweat-drenched promises

and closed for a kiss

that can keep it all going

another thousand years

L.I.E. at 4:32 a.m.

bleary blinking

with van-heavy brakefoot

cargo sliding to and fro

shiny road

swooshing underneath

streaked

in reflector rainlight

passed out passengers

swaying to the beat

of cruising speed

dodging the reckless trucks

panic-flushed

by invisible lane lines

casting out signals

as the cold traffic

keeps whizzing by

First Trip to Las Vegas

America’s largeness

in lights

ethereal magic

and topless dreams

blazing machines

penny slot siren maze

eyes glazed

for days

pit upon pit

—trimmed greens

for your cash—

bill-breaking towers

in faux gold

a tiny taste

for young and old

stamped upon the thirsty land

oasis of illusive plenty

advance and decline

in one gleaming gift

cheering on

our own great blazing burnout

one bet at a time

Revenge of the Blue Light

In the lush green

dream night,

bruised and stained

by the sweet chase,

we get to that

mysterious place,

that Daisy’s pier

in heavenly space

to find the blue light

is only a ghost,

a glimpse of dying star,

a sinister dream,

parasite

to our host.

We shake our fist at this, unfair,

ignoring the starry night,

the cooling air.

Burning with anger,

but we have no case,

trying to weave paradise

from a shallow place. 

Alley Walk

strange light

from spring rain twilight

guiding odd characters

seeking refuge from the sun

spreading ethereal glow

across quiet rooftops,

and empty street corners

where wood-tar telephone poles

stand silent sentry

this light

brings the muses

to Earth,

it dances away

before we can give it voice

inspiring, torturing

the youthful heart

that burns to spark life

from all of it