Short and Sweet (Mostly)

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100922

SENSE-LESS

I watch near-blinded as,
from the round of its bucket,
the sun drops molten light
onto evening waves.
I must be near-deaf as well,
hearing no hiss of steam.


100921

MELLOW

I feel peace
(though no push or pull)
and cannot say
whether I’m empty or full.


100920

“THE” ANSWER

It’s all
so simple, really—
so really simple,
I simply forgot.


100919

INCOMING MESSAGE

What fool would be awake
and writing at one a.m.?
Besides myself, I mean.


100918

CONFECTION

Love it all
for its own sake;
the peace of God
is a piece of cake.


100917

AHHHH – HA!

Brilliant!
Utter simplicity.
Why am I happy?
Because I want to be!


100916

MIS-HEARD

You didn’t hear
the thunderstorm?
No, I was asleep.

Dreamin’?
Uh-huh… freezing…
back in Korea…
and other demons, too.


ARRIVAL

Things come e-mail;
things come snail.
Things come true, too,
like that, from you.
(The check was in the mail.)


100915

MOTIVACATION

I know I care;
I care a lot.
I’m just not sure
what about.


100914

FOR BETTER, FOR WORSE

Friends, friends, friends—
whatever we’re in for,
we’re in it as friends.


100913

FORCED
REMOVAL

Cat gave
the bed
another douse—
that’s why
she’s now
in the doghouse.


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Peace, Prize

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100225

THAT WOULD TAKE THE PRIZE

Would it be legitimate, when it arrives,
to drench it in water?

I opted for a white woman's
over a black man's
(both are crew neck).
It was awarded by a publishing house
for best self-help book title spoof,
which I won with:
"The Tao of Bliss – What Doesn't
Thrill You Makes You Wronger."

How I'd like, at my age,
to tell the nieces and nephews
that I won a wet t-shirt contest.


100224

POET’S DAY OFF

Self-help book title spoofs, instead of poems.
Last on the list won a t-shirt prize from the
contest sponsor, a publishing house:

Cereal Thriller – Live with Flair on Vegan Fare
Intuitive Time Management – Thinking Outside the Clocks
Perfectionism Rescue – The Ins and Outs of Over and Above
Stop That Teesing! – Help Eradicate T-Shirt Prize Contests
Order Up! – How to Successfully Demand Results from Your Higher Power
Guru Guru – Becoming a Self-Help Expert Expert
Taiwan On! – Dealing with the Taipei Personality
Soulmate Salvage – Correcting the Very Traits You Used to Adore
Stop That Teesing! – Help Eradicate T-Shirt Prize Contests
The Tao of Bliss – What Doesn't Thrill You Makes You Wronger


100223

PEACE POME

☮ is good. ✌ is ✍.
Like the ❂, ☮ is bright.

❆ or rain, day or ♘,
I ♥ to ✏ of ✌ and light.

~ ツO


100222

BUZZARD LADY

Buzzard Lady is my role.
Don’t put me in a pigeon hole.


100221

GOODBYE AND GOOD LUCK

Well, it's bad news
for all you six-plus billion souls
who'll have to run your own lives,
now that I've opted out
of that responsibility.
(I was told it was never mine
to begin with, but don't we all wish
I'd found out sooner!)


100220

CHARMER

So cute a pixie
it's hard not to give hugs,
sporting short hair, blue jeans,
tunic and Ugghs.


P-O-E-T-R-Y

I try.
I fail, and fail again.

I fail. Again I try.

I will not quit;
will not admit
defeat.

I will—
like my endeavor—
end in “T-R-Y.”


100219

SPEAKING OF ODD!

No takers for my
buzzard speech—
how bu-ZZARD is that?


RELATIVE TIME

One week ago,
our fledgling finch
was pushed out of the nest.

Today he sits
three new-laid eggs
with the adults—
who would have guessed?


100218

PEAK EXPERIENCE

I told the seer, "I'm here to hear.
How can I make my dreams appear?"

"Cure conscious and unconscious fear.
What you want is very near;
get clear of fear to bring it here."

"My days, dear Seer, are growing drear;
how do I get my fears to clear?"

"Afraid I don't know," smiled the seer
with genuine and gentle cheer.
"Come and ask again next year."


HUNGRY, BABE!

When I see you
through my night vision goggles
taking out your garbage,
I can see you,
Babe, on night missions—slogging,
staking out our forage.


[ASIDE: TWITTER 2/12/10 - MichaelATerry: RT @GhostPanther:
Has there ever been a romantic poem that begins "When I see you
through my night vision goggles taking out your garbage..." ]


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