> untouched

When you surrender

to tongues unfamiliar
leave me as leaves
that fail to fall

still, untouched
by circling breaths
gently blowing
away your smile

leave me again
randomly lost
where memories
once prevailed.

-dp-
8-8-16

> off nights

long nights
when I don't sleep

I slip from bed

and walk softly

to my balcony

                          

there, alone

in the deep
clear silence

of morning

I count the lights

that linger

between me

and the base

of the foothills

a short mile away

sometimes

there are

as many as forty-three

other times

as few as thirty-two

it matters

little to me 

so long as

the mountains can bear 

the stars I can't count

-dp-

7-17-16

> 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

> clocking winds

when you surrender

blow gently
to tongues unfamiliar
scatter, but randomly
in clocking winds

leave me as leaves
dry, descending
dancing gently
with soft grace
in gentle breeze
 

-dp-
3-31-16

> unfinished

if I could dream

only dream

of you

and sleep

always sleep

in your arms

then pass

as you passed

from my life

to dream

another dream

still with you

-dp-

3-7-16

> two-fourteen

one day

when this poem
is complete
when the words
seem right
and the lines
breath true  
in verses
well matched                
and it sings

of our love   
I will give it to you

-dp-

2-14-16

>toast

toast

more than
golden brown
a little burnt
at the center

brittle edges
crackly
crunchy
crust

this once    
pure white
Wonderbread
lathered     

now soaked
near through
with butter
topped with

strawberry jam
gritty seeds   
running on
about you
                             
-dp-
1-27-16

> scouts lament

tender thoughts

childhood images

abandoned playgrounds

old tires, shopping carts,

playing where the dry weeds bind 

roaming hills
grades of innocence

homes take broader views

youth's path now covered  

now buried in middle age

scouts honor

badges of merit

sewn by mother's hand

gracing his uniform
now worn to a threadbare blue

-dp-
1-19-16hb 

> mrs. kravitz

poor Mrs. Kravitz

strapped to that gurney

and taken away

after all those years.

now she's back

but not the same
after all of that
electroshock 
therapy.

it tends
to scramble the mind
and  by all accounts
her mind
was not in
the best  condition
to begin with
she was clearly
delusional.

and now after
all those years
of intense therapy
and heavy medication
she knows
that all of the
crazy things
she thought
she was seeing.

all those things
she still sees
peeking around
her curtains
all those things
she's been told
are hallucinations
are still out there
and still
very real.
 
but now she's
pretty sure
that Samantha Stevens
and her mother 
Endora, and perhaps
even dear little
baby Tabatha
are witches.

but now she knows 
it's okay
that they
mean no harm
and she doesn't 
mention anything
to anyone
anymore.

except to her

nephew, Lenny
who is rich
and affords
her the best 
outpatient care.

-dp-
12-31-15

> angst

need some anger oversight
to cool these inner storms
this mess within an outer calm
wrecks health, upsets the norm.
these jokes and laughs uneasy
diversion's steady lure
anxiety tapped, uploaded
stewed hot and insecure
unload the trapped illusion
pour forth a finer urge
expunge wrong words unspoken
best look forward when at bay


-dp-
12-25-15

> Dr. Rumirez

First off, thanks 

for helping me out

with my prescriptions

while I was between jobs.

Second, during my last visit

you mentioned that

if my testosterone level

wasn't okay

that I might

require Viagra

to help with my

erectile dysfunction.

Is that something

you can prescribe,

or do I order it

from one of those

late night

TV commercials?

Thanks again

for your help

and diligence

and have a

very Merry

Christmas.

-dp-

12-14-15

> line of sight

from the sidewalk

across the street
from my apartment

I can see
not far away
the top floor

of the building
where my lawyer
has his office.

unfortunately,
it's the wrong side
for a clear shot

-dp-
10-26-15

>> 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

 

> splash

it's where I find

wind blown poppies  
and soft clouds popping
on golden waves
of ripples dancing
in singing sunshine
and velvet splashes
reflecting bits 
of dreams 
and you

-dp-
10-20-15

> devileld eggs

my aunt Barbara

and my mom
made the best
deviled eggs
in the world
bar none, I think.

the yolked halves
when paired flat
looked and felt
like perfectly white
doll sized breasts
without nipples

when I peel
hard boiled eggs
they resemble
battered, cratered
asteroids, tumbling
off the counter 

to the floor
where perhaps
what resembles
a crippled moon
of Neptune lies
it's core exposed

-dp-
10-19-15

> Charlie

some quiet night,

when he's fast asleep
I'm going to take a Sharpie
to the crown of my brothers
shaved head and draw a squiggly
little curl,  just like Charlie Brown's hair

then add slicked back lines
to my own male pattern baldness
become like Charlie's friend, and Sally's
imagined boyfriend, suck my thumb, quote
something profound, and then, share my blanket

-dp-

9-13-15

> 'til morning

night 

and the same 

sentence read

over and over

every pillow

on the bed

is too hard

unable

to sleep

unwilling

to dream

even

silence 

is too loud

the only 

real noise
is time

ticking towards

tomorrow's night 

again too soon

-dp-

9-13-15

> palm tree

I need a piece of art,

something narrow
for a wall
between two doors

something tall, 
from about waist
to head high
simple, calming
soothing, tranquil

like a Palm tree
to help me relax
since my girlfriend
dumped me

said I couldn't commit
couldn't handle
responsibility
that  I didn't
care about her kid

to be honest,
I don't care
about
her bratty kid

but for now
I need
some sorta
piece of art
maybe a Palm tree

to cover the hole
I punched
in the wall
this morning

-dp-
8-18-15

> love once

She found herself
unexpected
in spousal indulgence
                
demure at first 
yet passionate                      
when lost in desire

she fell for men  
less confident
needing soft words 
                       
useful to hold
simple to love
easy to ask

her bruises cut
to deeper wounds
where love fails to heal

-dp-
7-12-15

> play date

were it

a play date...

we could
play simple games

we would
follow basic rules

we might
even play fair

and winning
might not matter

or matter less
than having fun

-dp-
8-11-15