> quandary

if I found myself in a quandary

with a Charlie Chaplin mustache
in a burning bunker, with friends
like Eva Braun, dead or poisoned
inside

if the Allies were banging and bombing
at the door, seriously upset 
I might reconsider my options 
maybe panic and ask to be
redeemed

seek a savior to forgive and forget
wash my hands, let me carry on
as if those bad things never happened 

someone to take on my sins

but then

how could I hang with non-Aryan folk
in a heaven with those less divine
soar on the wings as the fuhrer 
maybe run into some upset Jews
oh, Christ!

-dp-
4-25-16

>> convenience store NEED FORMAT

convenience store

5/25 remix

 

there's always fresh puke

in the parking lot 

of the seven eleven 

where I buy my smokes

 

tonight, at the end 

of a long line, 

there's a black guy 

in steel toes and work blues

patiently waiting

to buy a Butterfinger

 

just ahead, a loud group 

of latinos

    latinas,

        and, or 

            chicanos, 

holding cheap bundled beer

    candy bars

        condoms and

            or packets of pocki

 

stony eyed at the counter

is a corpulent, uneasy

    leather vested

        scary toned            

            red faced biker 

holding close to

to a tight dressed 

    overly pierced

        barely teen

            girlfriend

who I would give

good money for

 

but rather we pay slowly

into the cool night 

where I strike a match

and  see our friendly

    occasional

        and, or

            perpetual drunk-

his hand out for change

 

SENT TO WORD

convenience store

5/25 remix

there's always fresh puke

in the parking lot 

of  the seven eleven 

where I buy my smokes

tonight, at the end 

of a long line, 

there's a black guy 

in steel toes and work blues

patiently waiting

to buy a Butterfinger

just ahead, a long group of 

latinos

    latinas,

        and, or 

            chicanos, 

holding cheap bundled beer

    candy bars

        condoms and

            or packets of pocki

stony eyed at the counter

a corpulent, uneasy

    leather vested

        scary toned            

            red faced biker 

holding close to

to a tight dressed 

    overly pierced

        barely teen

            girlfriend

who I would give

good money for

but rather we pay slowly

into the cool night 

where I strike a match

and  see our friendly

    occasional

        and,or

            perpetual drunk-

his hand out for change

-dp-

10-22-15

---------------

maybe hustle her

through the door 

to the cool night 

light us up, and

    share a glance

        with the occasional 

perpetual drunk-

his hand out for change

-dp-

10-22-15

3333333333333333333333333333333333

there's always fresh puke

in the parking lot 

of the seven eleven

where I buy my smokes

last night 

at the end of a long line 

there was a black dude 

in steel toes 

wearing work blues

patiently waiting 

to buy a Butterfinger                                

just ahead 

a cool group of

latina and litano- 

chicanos holding on to 

cheap bundled beer

    candy bars 

        condoms 

            or pocki

leaning on the counter 

at the register

an impatient, stony-eyed                            >

    black leather vested

        tattoo painted

            corpulent biker 

holding close to him

his tightly dressed 

        overtly pierced

            maybe teen 

                girlfriend.

who I could pay 

good money for

when I'm finally out

to the outdoor lights

in  the lights beyond the door 

                                                into the cool mist of night 

I light up and look for 

the ever quick glance

from the occasional 

perpetual  drunk-

his hand out for change

22222222222222222222222222222

there's always fresh puke

on the parking lot 

of the seven eleven

where I get my smokes

it's late night and inside

is a black guy 

wearing steel toes

under worker blues

he waits patiently

to buy a Butterfinger  

                                    

behind a loud line

of latinos

    latinas,

        and, or 

            chicanos

each with

cheap bundled beer

    candy bars

         condoms 

            or pocki

at the register

an impatient, stoned                   

    leather vested

        tattoo tough

            corpulent biker 

holding close, his

    tight dressed 

        over pierced

            maybe teen 

girlfriend.

who I could pay 

good money for

finally

out side the door 

in the cool mist of night 

I light up

share a quick glance

with the occasional 

yet perpetual drunk-

his hand out for change

ooooooooooooooooooo

there's always fresh puke

at the seven eleven

parking lot 

where I buy

my smokes

late at night

inside

a black guy 

in work blues

waits patiently 

to buy 

a lemon Snapple

last 

in a long line

of latinos

            latinas,

                    and, or 

chicanos

each holding on

to cheap bundled beer

candy bars 

             condoms 

                     or pocki

next at the register

a stony eyed

corpulent

leather vested

scary toned

            red faced

                 biker 

 holding close

to a tight dressed 

over pierced

near teen 

girlfriend

who I would pay 

good money for

finally

through the door 

in the cool night 

I light up

and share a glance

with the occasional 

perpetual drunk-

his hand out for change

-dp-

10-22-15

 

shuffle

we who ply streets late

into misplaced hours

of morning seeking soft
untended heat bleeding

carelessly from lonesome

storefront door frames and

broken mail door slots

                             

draw closer from cold

escape as shadows

passed on sidewalks

weaving to wander by

the lights of the street

crossing but never

chasing the dark 

forbade and forgotten

wearing passed out rags

living off borrowed

change and time

feeling less assured

to face each next day

without dreams between

-dp-

7-13-15

ladder

If I led you to a ladder

and pointed towards the top

would you grasp the rungs too firmly

as you start your way up

would you look back more than once

to confirm who held the base   

then climb with ease and confidence

with less concern on  your face

would you say my help matters

as you reach up towards your goals

no longer looking  downward   

to see who has a hold

can I watch you rise above me

as you learn to find your own

while I wait here at the bottom     

for a day you might come home

-dp-

 5-6-15

Restore Domestic Love

You can help me vacuum

restore our faith in god
roll back the rugs

sweep from under 
chase those dust bunnies around

go to bed with clean feet on

Hiding under covers  
ignore our faith in god
make love as one

play some Twister         
drink some wine and get real drunk

in a domestic sort of way

We can stay together

explore our faith in god

collect our change

do the laundry   

fold fitted sheets

it's like teamwork-

so many seasons left to play 

-dp-

4/25/15

111111111111111111
You can help me vacuum

and restore my faith in god
roll back the rugs

sweep from under 
chase those dust bunnies around

we'll go to bed with clean feet on

Hiding under covers 
we'll ignore our faith in god
make love as one

play together        
spill the wine and get real drunk

in our domestic magic way

We can stay together

explore our faith in god

collect our change

do the laundry   

see what comes out in the wash

with this kind of teamwork-
we've many seasons left to play 

-dp-

4/25/15

oooo
You can help me vacuum

restore my faith in god
roll back the rugs

sweep from under
then chase the dust bunnies 'round

let's go to bed with clean feet on

We can hide under covers 
ignore our faith in god
make love as one

play together        
spill some wine and get real drunk
it would be like magic, in some
domestic sort of way

We can stay together

explore our faith in god

collect our change

sort the laundry   

see what comes out in the wash

who knows, a kind of teamwork-

with lots more seasons left to play 

-dp-

4/25/15

XXX casualty PTSD

I left words, most unfinished,
on our drawing final day
keep me covered
keep me safe
keep me warm

the savored scent 

of coffee, sweet
warm kindness in your eyes
make this day last
still home with you
covered, safe, and warm

>>>

now I'm lost, in flight
from all I love 
to destinations dark, 

or worse, to dream 

of safety from your prayers
but I wake to morphine shots
recovered by distant arms
and mindless brutal duty

someday you will uncover
the shadows I've consumed
and fear the bad things 
the soft death, ebbing light
years counted awash in fog,

or better, to perish
in frosted tidal foam 

to waste this life
beneath a dim red moon
as my sullied heart's
embers burn to black.

>>

then, sighted, once
through dancing palms
razing fires to cross again 

suddenly lifted by your vision   
a call: come home, come home now
your sweet grace from this burdened duty

bring me home from this idling war

one day I will see you weep
holding me dearly
safe and warm
the children too
safe and warm
dearly still home
once safe with you

I left you words,
most unfinished...


someday you will uncover
the shadows I've consumed
and fear me
as bad things happened

and remained inside
soft death
ebbing light
years counted
still awash in fog,

or better, still
in frosted tidal foam this waste of life
beneath a dim red moon
still, feel my sullied heart's
embers burn to black.


then, sighted, once
through dancing palms
razing fires to cross my homeland
come home, come home now
to grace from burdened duty
bring me home from this idling war


one day I will see you weep
holding me dearly
safe and warm
the children too
safe and warm
dearly still home
once safe with you

I left you words,
most unfinished...


no- bring this idling war
home to the children
let them know evil
keep their days
safe to warn
at home from you


and covered
keep them covered
keep them safe
keep them warned
keep them home

I left you words, most unfinished...


-dp-

5-18-15

222222222222222222

I left you words, 
most unfinished, 
on that drawing final day

keep me covered
keep me safe
keep me warm

the savored scent 
of coffee, sweet   
warm kindness in your eyes 
make this day
home with you
safe and warm

now lost in flight 
from all I love
destination dark, or worse  
dream in safety 
from your prayers
wake to morning whiskey shots
covered in distant arms
and mindless brutal duty    
 
someday you will uncover
the shadows I've consumed 
and fear me 
            as bad things happen

soft death  
ebbing light
years counted 
awash in fog,
or better, 
in frosted tidal foam 

this waste of life 
beneath dim red moon
still, my sullied heart's
embers burn to black.

then, sighted
through dancing palms
razing fires cross my homeland
come home, come home now
through grace and burdened duty
bring me home from this idling war

one day I will see you weep
holding me dearly 
safe and warm
the children too
safe and warm
dearly home with you

I left you words, most unfinished...

-dp-
5-18-15

no- bring this idling war
home to the children
let them know evil 
keep their days
safe to warn 
at home with you


and covered
keep them covered
keep them safe 
keep them warm
keep them home

I left you words, most unfinished...

-dp-
5-18-15


1111111111111111111
I left you words, most unfinished,
on that drawing final day
keep me covered
keep me safe
and warm
keep me home

the savored scent of coffee, warm   
sad sweet kindness from your eyes 
make this day
here with you
at home
safe and warm

now lost in flight from all I love.
destination dark, or worse  
dreams of safety from your prayers
covered by distant arms
awaken morning whiskey shots  
then mindless brutal duty
some day you will uncover
the shadows I've consumed
 
and fear me

then bad things happen

this soft death in ebbing light
counting years awash in fog,
or better, lost in frosted tidal foam 
a waste of life beneath the dim red moon
as still as my sullied heart burns black.

then, once sighted
through dancing palms
razing fires across my homeland
come home, come home now
through the grace of burdened duty
bring me home from this idling war

no- bring home this idling war
bring it home to the children
keep their days
safe and warned
at home
there with you

one day I will see you weeping
kept nearly safe and warned
keep me covered
keep me safe
and warm
keep me home

I left you words, most unfinished...

-dp-
5-18-15

beckon

A rough tomorrow

beckons from this idle dawn
forged from counting abandoned nights. 
                                                                 
Awaken from dark dreams
stalk still, sullied in smooth dim light
searching cold streets for yesterday's will.

Fear not faith, nor compassion
promise only days with soft indifference
wallow blindly into what accidents could become.

Go on
just go on
trust in maybe.

-dp-
1-25-15

fault line

I lean

minutely

towards earth

easing

her arc

with steady 
downfalls

each step

extends

over open 
faults 

drawing 
me in

instruct me

ease my gate

lead me

deeper

towards gravity

-dp-

1-24-15

like gravity

I lean               

perpetually
towards earth

step by step
easing along 

its arc 

with steady 

plodding 
footfalls

each step
induces descent 

exposes fault  

hastens

my course    

towards destiny

draw me

instruct me

ease this pace

guide me

closer 
to gravity

-dp-

1-24-15

> keep it warm

you should come to my bed

come lie in my bed 'til you're well
you should just come, come to my bed
lie in my bed and get well.

when you are well you should stay,
stay in my house, make it warm.
come stay in my house, keep it warm,
keep our house warm.

when you leave, don't say good-bye
don't say good bye when you leave
when you leave, say you'll be back
Say you'll be right back if you leave

-dp-
1-13-15

> open line

Longing for a land line

to tie these in betweens
hold us past together    
stay connected when on leave

hear the soothing  dial tone       
distance softened by your voice       
hold on tight before you hang up 
stay in service while you're gone

I need this real connection
whether copper wire or string
Something solid and well grounded
to cling to and believe    

-dp-     

1/12/15