Magnificently Futile

A curtain flutters from an open window. A story begins,
romantic and devastating in one genuflection.
A person mourns their loss of potential.
They were involved in making art.
Their long flow of success, stopped.

Upon opening that window last evening,
   the bomb exploded right there.
     Startled, then stumbling on a stool causing a
       smashed ear on the edge of a laptop screen;        
         Feeling the heat of blood rushing into the skull;
           Limbs responding slower as thoughts become static-y.
Trapped all night in a cycle of:
   jarring explosions - 
     fueling the skull with blood -
       causing less limb movement - mind fleeing.
         explosion - blood - less movement
           explosion - blood - less movement
   Feeling the mind evaporating
     as blood hemorrhages into the skull.

Unable to move now,
the curtain flutters in the morning.
A body alive, but finished.
A groan, an ache at the magnificent futility --
A terror is not intended to steal art from people.
But it happens.
 

 

- this one sent to Kentucky - 
video here...
Artwork by Adam Katz

Dress The Noise

                         I.
It is noisy over here.
Voices in-the-round
     consuming my patience;
Demanding attention like the car seatbelt
     beep-beep-beeping at me.
I want to clean up the noise --
scrub it hard until the dirt gives way.

                         II.
Adding noise upon noise yields little.
But finding the space between
     and around the noise --
it could be called harmony.

Make the noise yours by dressing it --
like a salad.  Dress the noise in context.
Give it relationship,
     and watch it disturb someone else.
 

 

- this one mailed to Indiana - 
Artwork by Gerhard Richter

Some Sense

Somewhere, Sometime, Someone Somehow suggests Something;
and we listen.

Sometimes, Somebody makes Something Somewhere and Somehow,
it is useful.

Someone Somewhere decides that Somehow, Something Someday should improve;
and they do it.

Something Somebody Somehow needs, Sometimes surfaces Someplace;
and they use it.

Somehow Somewhere Someone in Someway screams for peace for Something;
and we hear it.

Some believing needed...
 

 

- mailed to Mississippi this week - 
video here...
artwork by Alberto Giacometti and Yves Klein

For You

This day your birth day:
go play
if you dare
go play
in the world all day

go play
with the ones you scream with
go play
in that mind you dream with

go play
until you are panting
just like that dog
who does all that chanting

go play
within the work that calls
go play
not caring when that heart stalls

go play
aware that a birth changes the world
go play
demanding that earth sing like a bird

stop now.
look very closely to your heart,
your gifts
and this reason you exist

 

- mailed to Illinois this week -
photo by EAG
 

Gift

Somebody cares about you
But where are they
How do you find them, tackle them

What if you let them find you
What if you open every pore,
every opening, every door

How about if they don't care
What to do if the one you want
blows a giant hole in all those doors

A gift, a gift, one answer is always a gift
You give give and give
for many moments minutes and years

And when you hardly remember
for how long how many or even why
you gave those gifts to those you adore

A blizzard of memories interact
with the stories you tell
Blending a potion attractive-as-hell

 

- mailed to Wisconsin - 
video here...
artwork by Jackson Pollock...

Another Our Father

Our Father, who eventually will retire,
        today we recount your name.
Through all your life
        you've earned said privilege
        by championing your lot in every way.

Feed us a life that is all our own.
And forgive, please forgive our teenage years,
       as we dismiss now 'our' children's errors...

The path you swept wide, for us to see,
refused to hide danger - introduced beauty so free.

Dear father O father today's forever your day.
Lay-down, breath-out, recall the life that you played.
 

                                    - a riff on the "lords prayer" - 
 

- this one sent to Minnesota - 
video here...
Artwork by Sol LeWitt

Particularly Sweet

                          I.
You want me to celebrate you?
In all you do, did, and might do.
The frustration with education
dissipates with graduation --
          your epic hard-fought battle.
Learning to read then reading to learn,
          look look,
you've come out ahead, on top of the norm.

                          II.
If at any time you believe love nurtures love,
today is the day, on graduation day.
From all those dinners and drama and jabber,
a person emerges that is believable
          and not likely repeatable.
Therefore today, today!  I applaud applaud this day.
Realizing the celebration is particularly sweet
when it is not my achievement
          but yours complete.

 

Artwork by Roy Lichtenstein
- mailed to Iowa this week - 
video on YouTube here...
 

Be

                                Be

Dear                                                        Dear
everybody                                        anybody
do not be afraid                   please be afraid
to push somebody         to pull down a mate
to be great                        when they're great
today                                                someday

 

 

Artwork by Lucio Fontana
- Poem mailed to Missouri this week - 
video here...

Rage Around

A battle sometimes rages
between the constantly curious, 
and the curiously questioning ones.

A choice of nobody's choosing --
we realize our category
by the slight anguish we feel
when meeting those others.

A cloud of rage floats all around --
mostly subdued, but sizzling at times.
Debilitating only when we allow.

wrong-right, democrat-republican,
conservative-liberal, 
constantly curious - curiously questioning,
no matter.
The honest exchange while listening, matters.

 

- mailed to Arkansas this week -
YouTube video here...
Art by Thronton Dial

Parents Are People?

They were your age once, 
               parents.
People first. 
               Parents second.
Law defying adults in the home, 
               generous when they can be.
Burdened by instincts of protection, 
               they are busy while exampling.
Parents feed,
               and feed,
                           and feed children when they can.
Parents a-a-annoy. 
               And we (eventually) understand.
                           Enough. Enough.
I do not want to see my parents
               as their child sees them, anymore.
I want to see my parents
               as others always have -- as people.
A challenge, yes.
                Probably parents can help...

 

- poem sent to Louisiana this week - 
video read (with drums and bass) here...
Artwork by Tony Cragg
 

Unload

William Eggleston

William Eggleston

Unload
Outpouring anger toward
a thing, gives that thing more life --
interrupt it.
Depositing joy upon
a thing, brands that thing worthy --
forevermore. 

Anger and joy are close close
companions; both perform to
the same audience. Joy shimmers
as we give it away, while

anger, "therein works a
miracle in nature," 
is given harshest to
those closest to us.
"Tread softly..." and unload
joy generously.
 

 

- poem mailed to Texas this week - 
video on YouTube

woo-ha woo-ha

Alexa Guariglia - Bee

Alexa Guariglia - Bee

Keep running into your life now
You'll fall into every good turn
When you see a light be sure to blink
so the dark will come along with you.
woo-ha woo-ha might la vida shine on you

Run into the work you do now
Go bold into a new known process
Use your heart and create a seam
and trust the stitch will come your way.
woo-ha woo-ha let la vida provide to you

Fly into good things of life now
They float away from your you
The best things keep getting replaced
so be sure to pay attention to all the cues.
woo-ha woo-ha create la vida that serves you
 

 

-- mailed to Kansas --
video read here...

inspired by this song, Water Fountain