Thursday, October 29, 2015

The Membrane

Am I not

Myself, only half a figure of a sort,

A figure half-seen, or seen for a moment, a man

Of the mind, an apparition apparelled in

Apparels of such lightest look that a turn

Of my shoulder and quickly, too quickly, I am gone?”

— Wallace Stevens, “Angel Surrounded by Paysans”



What is this barrier
Between you and the world?
Between you and the words?

You and love?
Break through it, the way
You always have. A little push.

A little effort. A little something.
Just keep typing.
Let the wriggling out of the shell

Occur, occur, occur.
Let the words cast spells — good ones —
And do the work.

You are halved somehow
In the din of living,
Shaved down a bit,

A survivor of sorts
In the everyday:
Get up, shave, shower,

And enter the possibility.
My mind. The world.
My conception versus my perception.

On that hanging limb,
You rebuild reality.
No leaves adorn it.

And winds blow,
But on that thin precipice,
In that instance, and in this one,

The mind creates
Or destroys.
You be the judge.

Monday, October 26, 2015

Autumn

What sweater to wear today,
In the din of a Tuesday?
This cool air. This warm sun.
This gentle breeze.
All bliss.
All echoes of sentimentality.
All done.
What will become of the season?
Caterwaul through it and bivouac in it.

Friday, October 23, 2015

The World Can Be Terrifying

The world can be terrifying. I need more courage.
Driving in a car is terrifying. Flying is terrifying.
I am trying. I am trying. I am trying. I am trying.
I need more courage. Who will give it to me?

Planes crash. Cars collide. Bad cells divide.
How could I have gone so long like this,
Unaware, undisciplined, making bad decisions?
The world can be terrifying. I need more courage.

There is the grinding of steel and glitter of light
On the highway tonight, coming to and fro,
Fading and arriving in imperceptible moments.
Is this symphony or chaos waiting to happen?

Monday, October 19, 2015

Dear Soul ...


I know you are there,
Silent, elegant, beautiful, still.
I want to get nearer to you,
And feel you close,
Gather you up
In my arms.
You warm me like no other.
I want to draw you in.
I am compelled, pulled,
To travel dreamily
In your orbit.

Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Some Days


Boil with struggle.
It is all in the mind.
Other days flow like easy rivers.
It is all in the mind.
What makes the difference?
It is all in the mind.

Monday, October 5, 2015

What Love Is

It owns energy 
While producing it.
It grounds you to 
The good Earth.
You feel it in your marrow.
It has a vision, gives life,
And moves you and all things.
Objects get set in motion.
Events unfold,
Flutter in harmony.
Something shifts, 
Dear universe,
When you look 
Into her eyes.