Borderland

 

Detail of the Robert Gould Shaw Memorial by Augustus Saint-Gaudens

 

 

finest monument in the land
Massachusetts fifty-fourth
volunteers under Robert Gould Shaw
first negro regiment forged
in the flames that flew from the
principled penstroke of Lincoln
distinguished in battle and
covered by glory immortalized in
bronze relief proudly marching
across poignant borderland
leaving behind profane chains
for a freedom graced future
what the sculptor never knew
was how unnecessarily wide
and besieged was that crossing
how painfully far lay that future

 

(original posted June 2013)

Decemberish

 

Image From wallarthd.com

 

I miss the late sun
rods and cones
perked by sworn affidavits
of light upon broad
panoramic existence

I miss the long day
sight degraded
by limited aid of a
tingling protracted
ballet of electrons

I miss what I know
to be there in the night
or is this instead
a believing not knowing
what dawn will reveal

I miss what I see
of my context
the nearness and
distance attending
my place in creation

I miss what I learned
in my evening hammock
from edified scripture
of imminent birth
by the light of one star

I miss what I thought
I could see plain as day
before realizing nothing
is quite as it seems
till it’s seen in the dark

Dark Harvest

 

“Mushrooms 2” by Murielle

 

 

sin grows in cellars
unlit and unholy
the devil’s own
dank fetid bowels
pale mushrooms
bloom buttons
wicked spores
seeding deeds
paint their stain
upon souls weakly
stemmed without
ethical means
to resist their
dark harvest

 

(originally posted January 2014)

Uniforms

 

“The Wall of Daydreaming and Man’s Inhumanity to Man” – Chicago Street Art

 

irrational valor

a selflessness

sworn of an oath

to protect and defend

turn aside mortal peril

walk into the fire

stand into the bullets

take illness in hand

a state less of the

mind than the heart

it’s a calling

the voice of an

impulse to serve

a devotion to duty

a knowledge that

one’s fellow man

needs protection

no threat

the more grave

than he is to himself

Arma Christi

 

Sculpture by Janina Karczewska-Konieczna

 

 

the thorn and the nail
weapons primitive cruel
not enough to hang death
life must end in great pain
know the punishment
earned by its insolent birth

the lance and the sponge
deliver unkind mock relief
blood and water drawn
merciless staining faith’s
rough-hewn conjectures of
dogwood and cedar and pine

the veil and the shroud
timeless moments of stillness
one before and one after
the passion the end
the beginning the cup
of shed blood yet among us

the symbols the icons
these heraldic arms
weapons wielded against
force of darkness by
contradict everlast light
cast by man’s prince of peace

Atlas of Clouds — Baldypoems

I am so excited! There are many poets that I openly admire, but few that I worship like Paul F. Lenzi. When one reads Paul’s poetry, it is no small wonder his website (https://poesypluspolemics.com/) has over eleven thousand followers and has received more than a quarter of a million page views. Paul is not only […]

via Atlas of Clouds — Baldypoems

How Shall the World Turn?

“Venus and Mars” by Liz Ravn

standing on mars

watching venus

waiting for earth to choose

valor or beauty

which ethos

beyond all personified orbs

harbors wisdom

necessary and sufficient

to govern

terrestrial tenures of men

(originally posted June 2013)

Coevals

 

“Storm Shudders” by Spencer Frazer

 

sweep the storms
from the mind
still the winds
that deplore
different thinking
stem floodtides
swelled teeming
with epithets
rein in the lightning
of firestart tempers

society needs
less aggression
more fellowship
hateful ad hominems
balkanized factions
despoil our progress
lay plunder to powers
a nation of neighbors
needs equable amity
functional polity

here in this
puddle of time
where we stand
we are challenged
to choose our
shared weather
to conjure an
ambient atmosphere
fit for our flourish

Organic Colors

 

“Watermelon” by Lutz Baar

 

 

the melons are finally in bloom

laden with slaking refreshment

in this overhot season of conflict

parching forbearance of citizens

green and red in sublime coalition

yield sweet fruit all thirsts can enjoy

while the blue and red give forth

with nothing but dry barren vines

 

(originally posted June 2013)

Sagittarius

 

“Sagittarius” By JP Rhea

 

 

reaching his powerful archer’s arm
he slapped the man in the moon
for daring to watch over night
yet do nothing to save
those who suffer
the darkness
alone

 

(originally posted June 2013)