Steady as She Goes Captain

 Some teenagers

had the cart on 

them, don’t ask me why? 

We take the cart off them-

Then without the slightest of a double dog dare-

of their own free will,

Of sound mind and judgement,

Holding these truths to be self evident…

One gets in the cart

And the other gets ready to push.

1…2…3…

Ready Freddy 

Ready Eddy

Ready Steady…

Go-

Blast off! 

Commotion 

Mischief 

Tomfoolery-

Then 

like rodeo 

like Go karts 

like Roller Derby

Zoom zoom

Boom boom

Vavavavooooom

Whose afraid of the 

Big Bad Wolf!?

Juvenile, yes juvenile 

Because, 

Whose afraid of

Of Death 

when your this alive.

Gangway!

The Bowen bird

 I saw this 

in a documentary that I watched with my father-

It was a Bowen

Bird, stealing 

from another 

eligible 

Bowen

Bird 

Bachelor.

There goes Our potential paramour,

Gathering regalia and puffery 

for his 

Love nest. 

He spots a rival’s treasured 

plush red heart just laying 

there on the floor.

Perhaps left there by 

a previous bachelorette’s-

Rejection 

Reluctance 

Resolve

Perhaps…

Regardless,

there it lay-

A small lush plush

Red 

Heart

ripe for the plucking.

Look there- 

Look it’s your water bottle cap that fell  on the ground 

Look it’s a perfect shard of broken beer bottle glass

Look it’s a Surprise…

Our Bowen Bird Bachelor places his fresh plundered 

loot, lovingly amongst the rest of his 

Love Nest’s 

spoils.

Open heart

Open arms

Open for business.

A bird approaches, 

Our bachelor prepares his performance-

his heart about to burst open, 

an

Invitation…

Then 

Hesitation 

Apprehension 

Respiration-

But-

It’s not what it seems-

A young male bird whose 

Plumes

were worn

like Shakespearean 

drag-

Too young to show his 

Male

gender reveal party feathers… 

Runs off

With 

A stolen heart

And leaves a broken one behind.

Just for Laughs

 In the continent of Africa

In the country of Ethiopia 

In the ancient city of Harar.

There are men 

Who feed

Raw meet 

To 

Wild  hyenas 

Hyenas-

Killers 

Of 

Livestock

And 

Small children.

Walk civilly through the

Streets 

Answering

The call 

Of 

The Hyena Men. 

Men,  who like 

their 

Fathers before them

Fed 

Wild hyenas

Raw meat.

They wait 

Bare hands 

holding raw meat in bare hands

As a wild beast:

Killer of small children 

And 

Skilled at

[turning  livestock into dead stock]

Eats from their hand slowly like an invited guest.

This is the bargain 

The deal struck-

To keep the streets

Free of

Spirits.

Hyenas-

Protecting the streets

from

the spirits of the dead.

Who knows 

Maybe one of 

Those spirits had been eaten-

Picture thier spirit

Going again on this 

Hyena wild ride a second time.

Oh the irony-

In the eye of the wild beast

the words:

“Well, this is awkward …”

appear.

And then the streets fill

with the sound

of the last laugh.

Since 1983

 Draft needs ending

There are falcons 

In New York City. 

They eat 

Starlings

Pigeons 

Jays 

and

Black birds. 

Some will 

Specialize in eating bats.

In 1983-

The Dolphins are beaten by the Redskins

Annie closes on Broadway 

Thriller goes #1 on charts

And the Falcons came to New York.

}keep attitude reword, cleaner smother}

[Another group of

Fucken immigrants 

Killin’ it in the 

Concrete jungle ]

My favorite Veterinarian

 

Draft 2

There are 

Only so many people we 

Meet in this life.

Some Angles 

Some Animals.

Not all are memorable 

But 

And 

Not-

all beautiful-

Not all Heroes 

Not all War Criminals.

Some doomed never being to leave the war.

I thought of the beautiful-

Women that stay with you 

People I didn’t 

Even speak to-

Stuck in memory 

Like  {fact}

The Sun is fire

water sometimes falls from the sky

And 

Green is the color of life. 

Taken as fact, based only on faith.

Unchecked 

Unverified 

Unvetted 

I thought of a beautiful creature 

I only saw twice in my life/

She had the feel of the Hawaiian

 Islands  breeze-

Fair skin

Korean if I had to guess but not the point-

The beauty of eyes has lasted 

Longer than teeth

Longer than hope 

Longer than the last rope I ever intend to use.

What made her 

Bright as light

Radiate 

And 

Glow-

Was the large scar on her fore arm-

A huge gash 

Like from 

An animal you are taught 

To play dead too 

Or 

Run 

From.

I never asked her 

About it-

{fear of post traumatic stress disorder 

Or it just wasn’t polite-}

Her face and hair may one day fade 

Go exstinct like 

the polar bear 

From the ice water of heart 

But that scar will remain-

And remembered amongst

All the other

Beautiful 

scars 

Frozen in time 

]forever]

Man of the House

 Quick outline sketch needs 

theme and maybe new ending 

My mother tells me 

It’s important to know about 

Yourself/-

She says my Great Grandmother:

“Raised my father-

She was in her late 80s.

Almost 90,

Raising a 5 year old boy-

She’d sell 

Homemade liquor 

Made from fruit. 

She sell it to the winos.

She’d keep getting arrested 

Told on by her 

Neighbors 

Every couple weeks 

No fine, 

Just a warning, 

To never do it again-

But she’d 

Get taken in regularly for 

Bootlegging 

Yand selling it cheaper 

than the 

Cantinas- 

{your great grandmother was a businesswoman

that way}

Tilll one day my father, your Grandfather had enough…

And declared himself ,

The Man of the house! 

At age of 5.

He put together his 

Own shoe shine box. 

And 

In what would be in today’s  currency-

Would be about a nickels 

Worth of brown and black

Shinolla-

Your uncles would call me

That to bully me but I got my 

Licks in to-

You better believe…

At five he put together his own box.

His own kit. 

A military man,

Asked him:

“What do you charge”

Your Grandfather responded 

“What ever be your will”

“Aren’t you too young 

to be hustling on the streets”

Your Grandfather responded 

“I’m the Man of the House!”

The military man like his answer 

And 

Would bring him his eight pairs of 

Boots. 

He wouldn’t pay him the standard 

Rate 

But 

take pity 

On an old woman 

And a 5 year old orphan. 

His grandmother was a business woman 

Buying the Toosa from the indigenous 

Women 

In the spring when they came down from the 

Mountains. 

(Needs weight and anchor before last vignette}

One time his Grandmother was talking 

To another old lady 

And she says 

I hate to leave you with 

The words stuck to n your mouth-

{note it sounds cooler in Spanish let’s see if I can get 

The slang right and if it needs a rework}

“But I gotta attend the man of the House”

Her friend looking at her 

Like your so old 

Who would 

Court you 

Who would give you 

The time of day.

{don’t be obvious here with the reveal, be clever and see if we can repeat a top line to bring in the landing}

Your grandfather would be 

tell me these stories with pride-

{needs bridge to conclusion}

My grandfather’s blood runs through my viens

So 

Does my Great Great Grandmother 

Hell Thee

Draft 1 idea 

 I told her I wanted to

Something 

Healthy 

I would deliver 

Out 

A regiment.

Supplying that

Vitamin D.

And she 

Let’s me mine her minerals

Regiment 

Supplement

-

Crumy

Oh I’m familiar with 

Bread crumbing.

She throws out crumbs to

Attract 

The birds-

Hoping to catch 

A beautiful swan 

Amongst the

Ugly ducklings

Attracting 

Various 

Birds 

Singing their 

Songs

Peacocks

Woodpeckers

And 

Cock Roosters

Just crumbs

It’s never more. 

But you also 

Called 

This strangest of 

Song birds,-

The 

Raven-

And I sing you this song 

Madame:

“Nevermore 

Never more

Never….”

Useful

 May 2010

(B Side)

I didn’t want to help

Not that way-

Not under threat of anger-

My lover 

My God 

My mother

I am useless.

(To you)

Unable to help

You-

Useless for your plans- 

The script is the same 

written in pseudonym-

No one bothers

to plagiarize- 

But what  of  the Masters 

Plan. 

Yes, 

I serve a purpose 

In the masters plan-

For I am master of myself! 

In

My plan,

I am useful-

Upon dying 

I will provide purpose

And meaning to others -

To the Florist, 

The maker of fine pine boxes,

And the Undertaker.

Strictly Ballroom or 1234

 May 2010

She said you were

a step back-

(And yes 

Spiritual growth)

She said not in this 

life-

She said you were

doing me a favor-

But if

You are

A step back

Should I believe 

The opposite of 

I.

And it’s dancing-

And yes I believed 

Her-

It gave me

Comfort-

I never said

I was 

A step forward 

[A step up

A stepping stool]

But 

I’m not 

Gonna 

Listen-

I still want to Dance 

With you

[ just

 hold 

My hand 

Again and again 

I’ll take a step back

You forward

[again and again] ]

Dark Doll

 May 2010 ish

Doll falls 

like a broken star

stalls-

girls, dolls-

Star fire

in the darkness.

Bright star.

There is a need-

for something 

Grandeur 

Other than playing 

with dolls.

Fake 

Eyes 

Lips 

Hair- 

your teeth are not for 

biting.

Respect loves, 

the innocence of love-

No respect for teeth. 

Sugar Dish

 Edit 

Sugar Pie Honey Bunch

This is a tale of 

Narcolepsy 

Madames 

N’

Sugar dishes

It was a Wednesday.

So-

 we are 

talking about nothing-

Sugar Honey Honey

Bored-

I says-

"I always worry

about locking the door 

to the restroom"

Object permanence or 

what have you. 

I got a condition.

Oogum oogum 

boogum Boogum …

Now-

speaking of which-

Talking out loud

She says:  

“That reminds me”

She doesn't dish out

gossip or dirt.

No drama like on the Soaps.

But she can tell a story.

Holy shit,

here comes a story.

“It begins long ago 

In a tougher neighborhood ..”

Setting,

Set up-

“She had narcolepsy 

And she was older,

Been around the block”

Upper management-

In the hospitality business

Teaching all dogs new tricks:

Tricking and Treating

Like Halloween 

All year long, 

If you know what I mean. 

Oogum Boogum…

now,

“She was a Madam in her day. 

And now she’s Granny-

With 

Narcolepsy ”

Sugar pie honey bunch

“And once…

I walked into the restroom 

And there she was…

Ancient 

Paralyzed 

Dead?!

No she was flat out asleep!”

And here comes the kicker-

“And when she woke up 

She points 

To her Holy hole-

And says how do you 

Like my 

Sugar Dish?”

It was a Wednesday. 

A Fan, and Thats Cool I Guess

Edit

I think I have a stalker-

I put the pieces together-

I inherited my mothers stalker

She came by the house

Unannounced 

Unwelcome

Unfortunate 

It worrred me

Is she reading my poems? 

Is she a fan? 

Selfie

Autograph

Or

A sick feeling in the pit of 

Stomach-

Anything for a fan. 

He-Man Woman Haters Club

Edit

“When you told me you didn’t love me anymore-

Well, you know, I nearly broke down and cried.”-

John and Paul

She said “You’re such a child!”

Oh I don’t know about that…

 Roll call:

Alfalfa 

Buckwheat 

Foggy 

And

Spanky…

I hereby call to order the meeting of the 

He-man Woman Haters Club-

The last line of defense 

Against 

Valentine’s Day 

Smooches on the lips

And 

God forbid Serenades.

We gotta save brother 

Alfalfa from….

Because Girls are icky 

Sugar and Spice 

And everything nice. 

I’m just snakes and snails 

And puppy dog 

Tails. 

Subsequent 

Insufficient 

Delinquent 

Singing

Oh Darla please believe me,

 I’d never do you no

Harm.

Believe me when I tell you I’d never do you no 

Harm.

She said “You’re such a child”

Ah shucks baby,

I don’t know about that,

I like to think

 I’m more of a Rascal. 

Flow Glow Low

 (B Side)

The ink will flow

The ink shall flow

The ink must flow

Fountain pen

Make a wish 

Invisible Ink

Permanent Ink

Squid Ink 

I can’t believe how

Lucky

I am. 

I fall a little more 

in love.

in love!

in love?

Now if I only knew what that meant.

Fountain pen 

Fountain pen 

I toss a coin into  you

And make a wish. 

Foundation- 

Head or tails-

50/50

I make a wish.

I will not dip my pen in company ink 

so

I make a wish upon a ringo Starr

And wish

To find out 

“What would you do if I sang out of tune.’

The ink will flow

The ink shall flow

The ink must flow

5/10

T Rap

 It’s a trap 

like her Venus Fly-

It’s a trap 

that she has 

Sprung!

Quick as lighting.

But not as intentional 

As a  < we used Venus Fly as code, maybe play around with abstract like bear traps, lobsterr look up traps for men old 50s stuff or like Sinatra 60 jive.  Keep the idea for thirst trap queen seperate, thats its own train wrek but fun also think of cock and bull cock and sunrise cockadoodle doo, do not refrence old old poem>

It’s a trap for

My cock to be 

Stuck in- 

And it will stay

Fun 

Reckless 

Down low- 

If I can keep my trap shut. 

And I will keep 

escaping and 

Falling for the old tricks 

Until we both get caught.

Engagement Notice

 Edit 

Failing to win

Felt like 

Being murdered

In cold 

Blood-

My love to be 

Scraped off the walls

Scrubbed out off.

With no motive

No love

No esteem

No affection 

No crime of passion.

Just another John Doe-

Just anther unsolved cold case

Just another guest at the wedding 

With no plus one 

Minus one

On the scoreboard of love. [consider changing love to something less corny more jaded cynical 

A List

There are times she is vulnerable.

 For 

split seconds -

only seconds.

She says 

“I don’t think I’ll ever get married”

For now, she is married to herself-

I want to tell her I understand 

I know, 

I -

By we, 

We-

Drink amongst friends.

 

"She says don’t complement 

that- 

That is what I always hear from my friends"- 

I listen to...

because I see-

[ I've always seen more than that.]

I try to see her

completely, but not like that.

Its not like that- 

When she lets down her guard,

I catch glimpse of-

glimpses 

only glimpses-

I'm gonna forget, 

I always forget-

so

I made a list.. 

A list of all the things I see besides that-

Like the family she honors-

The cross 

Around her neck, her faith makes her strong-

she's adventurous-

In trips to Montana among the wildlife.

I appreciate her style

And fashion sense-

With the exception of that brown wool lined vest.

Her dark humor-

That leads to dark laughter. 

Her Good taste in music-

"...the plan is to show you 

I understand. You are appreciated"

Her patience when 

I need her  help to guide tender souls-

The good advice, I never take.

 

She is fun to be around-

She is difficult - Holy fuck-

She is difficult...

With her fancy drinks that require the rarest of olives.

And I see her 

When she says “she cries a lot”

[ She is vulnerable, 

but only for seconds 

only in glimpse.

She will not be rushed.

 For now she is married to herself. ]

She's got good taste -

(you already said that)

She will sip coffee 

in Luke’s Dinner.

(She is team Jess-)

I see her vulnerability-

But it's not like that. 

She is interesting

With her stories of tunnels and Disney Land-

She’s says don’t compliment that-

But I don’t have too- 

I keep my mouth shut.

She says don’t compliment  THAT.

She would probably also say don't compliment

my

Beauty-

and I keep my mouth shut.

It's not like that.

She is fun, but if I told her

It’d go straight to her head-

She says don't compliment THAT.

So I made a list before I forget. 

I always forget. 

She doesn’t think I listen 

She doesn’t care-

I save her a seat, she doesn't take it.

It's not like that.

Not like that.

She is married to herself, for now. 

She is my friend    

She can be herself around me.

I can be myself around her-

[I save her a seat,  she doesn’t always take it.

And when she does, 

Without speaking, she says

“I can only stay for a second”.

 

I Had a Dream I was Spider-Man, but You Were Still You

 I had a dream I was Spider-Man 

But you were still 

You-

I have dreamt of you 

Before 

In a beautiful yellow dress.

And ect.

But you haven’t been a 

Or a part of

Or anything really for-

And. 

I’m not saying you spoiled 

Which is one of the coolest 

Dreams I’ve ever had…

I’m not saying 

In spite

De spite

Nose, faces.

Your face/

I’m doing all this cool Spider-Man shit

But you were still 

You

I left you there angry 

To go fight crime. 

I got the fuck out of there…

Looking for a Friendly Nieghbor

Neighborhood 

To web slinging in the rain with. 

Because you were still you….