The Way of Things

Fantasm, shivering leaf
on a tree fed by
a gushing well
forever clinging
to this photosynthetic
need to feel the photons dance,
human branches wave
and shiver too.
All free-falling in
this empty space
of infinity,
is that why
it’s so natural
to fall asleep
thinking of you?

Thoughts on Careers

Let’s make a career map
and hope to have a niche in the world
like a slender cactus shadow.
At least I understand letters
but I only write bad poetry
maybe you’ll sing with me,
take me out of loneliness to
the far side of the bitter apple,
taste of cider and sex
where at least I have one price
–although not too dear–
you’ll see I’m just like a cold cod fillet
empty eyes flopping
running out of air and purpose.
I try to run but only fuck
with a stick in my mouth
and my nose hanging
where’s a woman’s heart?
Which direction do you face
when the conductor kicks you to your knees
and you know your job is lost forever
we are the wanderers who fall from favor
to the music of jeers

Neo-Post-Modern

Ground was thick with leaves
now hard like only human-made
we fall flat with a slap on the face
dirt, grovel wiggle
and so we’re born for benefit.

hold on to the tender thread
of anything that God gave
hard times make lonely lines
and i lift my face for raindrops

Police Brutality

“Fuck this man, fuck this…” she muttered as her hand embraced my arm in a death grip. “help” she looked up at me pleading with her dilated eyes.

I looked around at our group and whispered, “should we go?”

Everyone was sunk in drug-soaked silence. The scene in front of us was too surreal, or was it?

“Let’s go,” I started to get up. Sara immediately popped up and everyone else began to creep away with relief.

“wait!” said the bitch cop. “If you leave we have no choice but to arrest him for being drunk in public.”

Troy looked at us practically whimpering, “please, please don’t leave.” He was seated in the middle of the sidewalk where the cops had placed him after he threw a piece of garbage into a tree planter. Seeing as there was copious litter everywhere one wouldn’t imagine a cop would run up to question anyone for littering but Troy had long dread locks so the cops made an exception. They could scent trouble to be made so they inserted themselves into our situation.

A big problem was that Troy did not have his identification papers as was necessary in this society. The cops tried to radio in for his identity to no avail. So there they sat him in the middle of the gum strewn sidewalk waiting to identify the bane of society. We had no choice but to wait out the situation. The reason we were so loathe to stay was because all of us were fairly high on LSD although not all were still “peaking”. Troy, well, he may have been peaking, but even if he wasn’t I’m sure the little vial of liquid we had all dosed off of was burning a hole in his pocket. At least that’s what I was thinking about.

Before too many minutes had passed of the cops expertly spouting superlatives into their radios they had had enough. “Alright, we’re taking you in, you’re not being cooperative.” The lady grabbed one arm as her partner moved to take the other side, but before the cop could situate himself Troy was scrambling up and turning away. Poor Troy didn’t even have a chance to actually run all he had to do was stand up quickly and the cops immediately pushed him to the ground. The lady sitting on and holding his legs while the man held Troy’s face down on the pavement as hard as he could, some blood was already oozing where his temple had smacked down on the sidewalk. All Troy could do was wriggle and wimper, crying softly for help. With each whimper the lady cop grabbed onto his legs with more gusto slowly bringing down Troy’s baggy pants until you could see his pubic hair and then with one more shove his flaccid penis slipped out.

We all gaped in horror. A couple of students walked by grimacing at us, “really, I can’t believe people are so rude to watch something like this,” of course they exited the scene so quickly they wouldn’t have a chance to feel bad about a thing.

The bitch cop looked up as she started to apply handcuffs, “Ok, you guys can go now, you can’t help him anymore.”

We took off nearly running.

Gogol Missed

(sigh) I missed Gogol again…I seem to have this problem with not planning leisure time ahead of time and then not getting to see Gogol Bordello live. Once again, they were sold out and I was unable to see them. This time in Portland, OR. Oh well, hopefully next time I’ll do better…However, I did get to see this local band playing on the sidewalk beforehand. Unfortunately this vid has no sound, but trust me, this is another Ukrainian led kinda gypsy (although more on the Klezmer side) rock band.