Mood Medicinal

 

“The Approaching Moonlit Rainstorm” by George Hunter Tyneside

 

haggard mountains

hang listless

under light of a

narcotic moon

birds high in their

settles asleep

in the syrupy

sedative air

one sober gray owl

scolding the sky

for its fitful explosions

black bats on the wing

wraiths immune to the

night’s metaphysics

while down below

reach of the memory

inside the wood

and the glass

beneath torture

of frangible linens

the human pain

swallowed by

capsules of colors

a few quiet hours

metabolized moments

insensible to the

red rage of an

imminent dawn

Pentimento

“Pentimento” by Mickey Cunningham

gestured apologies
scratch at ill-spoken
impasto on canvas
first brushed by
pure heartstrokes
with lush lusty colors
now dulled beneath
layers of life wanting
clemency knowing
not how to reveal
vibrant passions
from under smeared
rancor built up
by dismay not
with she who sat
model in full bloom
of youth but with
he the self-loathed
and failed artist
who never could
capture that singular
moment again

 

 

 

(originally posted April 2013)

Meisterstück

 

Illustration from Montblanc website

 

words on a page

all things possible

everything anything

real or imagined

the flesh of the mind

given elegant signature

smooth blue inscription

by rhodium chased

gold and platinum nib

deep articulate ink

in svelte reservoir

cogently charged

with ideas and beliefs

all the thoughts

ever thought

ever thinkable

ready to feed capillarity

erudite patient

yet eager to make

of themselves authored

words on a page

Le Pigalle

 

“An Evening at Moulin Rouge” by EMONA Art

 

 

 

I may be alone

red faux windmill fame

does nothing for me

does not titillate

thrill or excite me

except to arouse

my sorrow and shame

 

seedy surfaces

soil white shadows

of Sacré Cœur domes

hucksters hawk

after hypocrites

trolling iniquity

worn weary girls

shiver naked in heels

dancing decadent duty

in windows on loan to

itinerant pimps

tawdry clubs cloyed

with burned Galousies

and watery whiskey

exhale pungent perfumes

that cheapen the night

 

what dirges these

Belle Époque

cobbles and curbs

could re-sing of their

cultural wreckage

ideals of enlightenment

ruined, unwrought

by the raunchy and rancid

and oh so sad

deep carnal foibles of

weak-minded men

 

 

(originally posted April 2013)

Symbiosis

 

“Dead Tree Trunk” by Gordon Wolford

 

 

a gnarled
hollow tree
stands deep
in high forest
encases my pith
replacing its own
it is my shell
I am its flesh
symbiotic
immobile
we two remain
rooted in place
skin to cambium
I can’t recall
when I gave up
screaming for help
through the crevice
in front of my face
days or centuries
maybe since
making my peace
with the wood
understanding
that we keep
each other erect
fully knowing
without it
I’ll simply collapse
to the ground
still unable
to move
until dying or dead
I dissolve
decompose
into bits of
detritus

 

 

(originally posted April 2013)

Snowflakes

“Callow Youth” by Lynn Rogers

say goodbye to your safe space

smell the cordite in the air

the fierce scent of the workplace

time to grow yourself a pair

Uncertainty

 

“The Uncertainty Principle” by Rene Magritte

 

 

you can know where it is

but not where it goes

if you know where it’s gone

it’s unclear where it’s been

anonymous powers

give human observation

arcane deep dynamic

impetus for change

powers that disturb

the very thing

that’s observed

to look is to alter

some quality of quanta

or quantity of motion

frustrating precision

in measurement’s gage

location and momentum

live in mutual denial

like when love and hate swim

with unequal speed

in the same salty tear

infinitesimal

mathematics get blurred

giving insecure burden

to quantum mechanics

conducing its physics

to relegate “what is”

to “what might be” at best

with existence itself

left to anyone’s guess

 

 

(originally posted April 2013)

Entity

 

“Essence” by Pat Stacy

 

good men and bad

one common identity

borne by red blood

yet distinctions

will set them apart

by their choices

deliberate calculus

testing the values

at various points

of continuum one

dead-straight spectrum

the only true path

between simplified

black and white answers

the colors of ethos

indifferently selfless

or selfish of light

the electromagnetic

affinities drawn

into tribes of belief

who attract or repel

individual egos the

human holistic experience

bound by biology

finding its freemost

expression in personal

mindful morality

each man an actor

an entity

owning his judgment

For You

 

Photo from pinterest.com

 

 

if I could but dance

I’d lead you through waltzes round rays of the sun

and speed you through polkas, mazurkas on end

 

if I could but jump

I’d pluck the bright stars to adorn your fair hair

and tuck the moon tenderly into your lap

 

if I could but run

I’d race the fleet winds across mountains and glens

and chase down each songbird for your serenade

 

if I could but walk

I’d stroll with your hand in mine up country lanes

cajole the world’s blossoms to sweeten our way

 

if I could but stand

I’d fold you in close like I did when we met

and hold tight forever your heart against mine

 

(originally posted April 2013)

Poppies

 

“Poppy Field IV” by Diane S. Dean

 

 

petals drawn
through warm blood
drip their sacrifice
staining pressed
peaceful lapels
with remembrance
of lives never lived
beyond wars
lost to exigent
perils of politics
fouled with aggression
demanding and daring
the best of our youth
stand and fight
for the principled
causes of liberty

each generation
has answered that
terrible call
rising tall
to the challenge
each time without fail
laid their beautiful
bodies between
right and wrong
in those reddening
fields where their
valor would seed
and volition
would propagate
delicate monuments
flowers for heroes
to decorate memory

 

 

(originally posted November 2013)