A Poet

Should not just mean
But be
Does not bare himself
For all the world to see
But splits the Soul of the world
Like the parting red sea
Does not capture the imagination
But often sets it free
Turns life into art
For those like you and me

Death of a Soldier
By Sniper Fire Near Quang Tri

These damn boots
Half filled with water
Slosh through another godforsaken pond
(Or paddy, it maes no difference to me)

Blades of long grass
Constantly slap at me
The incessant buzz of insects
Is slowly driving me out of my steel pot

My thoughts are not
Here in this steamy jungle-land
They are across another much larger pond
In a neighborhood where sidewalks border neatly cut grass

Charlie wants me
Dead or gone I'm sure
Either one is fine with his collective conscience
Wanting to rid his torn country of foreigners like me

This relentless heat
Rings in my ears
My eyes constantly scan the horizon
Looking for Viet Cong or anything out of place

Dallas pulled point
Duty for today and
Has just signaled for the platoon to stop
Lieutenant Johnson half-runs up to him holding his helmet on

Johnson drops
Like a sack of potatoes
His body twisting awkwardly as it falls
The report, a distant crack, follows shortly after

And we all grab some cover

Creation

In the beginning was the Word
The Word, God, and nothing else
Not a sound was there to be heard
Nor a thing that could be felt

Then the Lord created
The heaven and the earth
The void and darkness He hated
So began earth's humble birth

Sun and moon, land and seas
Light and dark, night and day
Animals, man, sky and trees
By Him everything was made

When God was done He rested
As on the seventh day we should
Surveyed all He made and blessed it
And saw that it was good

Damaged

Like listing frigates
Passing in the night
A haze of choices
Through which they flow
White is black and
Black is white
But shades of gray
Are all they know

Like satellites
Come 'round again
That conscience comes
Back into mind
And surely as the
Earth does spin
That jaded guiltless
Land they'll find

Honey in the Carcass of a Dead Lion

Behold the chalice with my eyes
My mind drunk with her exquisite form
Golden curves full of surprise
Her artful slopes refuse to conform

Within is the nectar of youth
An inviting fluid full of play
Misty mirage of the half-truth
Leads down a twisting dangerous way

Yearning surges through my frame
My burning eyes must betray
A soul that worships your name
Which echoes with everything I say

The musky aroma of deceit
Rears it's unpredictable head
Gratisfaction lies in rotted meat
Sweet visions dance inside my head

Rain
Sleep's Song

Hear the rain
Rattling and tapping
Knocking on the window pane

Crashing down
Echoing in gutters
Pelting the soaking ground

It beads up
When enough drops
They race toward the outcrop

Not straightly
But in a random
Zag zig motion like a tributary

Mortal mist
It grays the sky
Clouds cover us like a quilt

Wet shroud
Blankets us with
A comforting monotonous sound

The Back Porch at Night

Smell the sweet wet air
Feel the cool misting breeze

Hear the wind chimes sing
And the whisper of the leaves

See the cold gray sky peeking
Through the hackberry trees

He

I remember like a faint yesterday
His coming to our homestead
He said "You have to watch the ball into your hands"

I remember like the warm sun
Walking along the creek
He said "These bamboo sticks make good fishing poles"

I remember like a hummingbird's buzz
Sitting on the back porch
He said "That's a red-winged black bird"

I remember like a lazy autumn breeze
Walking through the woods
He said "Them are sugar maple trees"

I remember as it was passed on to me
Listening to my father
He said "Just love your children"

I remember as it was passed on to him
As he stood in my living room
He said "Anybody can play football when they feel good"

I remember like a fiery brand
As he looked me in the eye
He said "There's nothing good about war"

I remember like a fuzzy peach
Playing with my son
He said "He looks like a skinned rabbit"

I remember like a cold day still
As he drove to see her in the nursing home
I said "Surely even Solomon in all his wisdom
Could not influence me like He"

607 North 14th Street

John Sousa marches boom from speakers
Flags hung from the porch ripple in the wind
Generations of Cardens sit in metal lawn chairs
And drink cold beer with their friends

Preparations are made for the days events
Shouts of kids playing can be heard outside
In a solemn ceremony out on the front lawn
Parents raise a proud banner while mourning inside

The bell is rung once for every year of liberty
Each crash reverberates so loud and strong
As the tolls echo freedom through the humid air
Thunderously sounding America’s birthday song

Children light snakes and trash on the sidewalk
The afternoon fills with firecracker bangs
Old folks throw horseshoes, reminisce and talk
Out back little ones blow bubbles and play games

When bubbles and M-80’s have made their last pops
Then everyone gathers around to hear
Grandma Louie and Papa give a stirring speech
On the constitution, fireworks and beer

After the hot dogs and watermelons are gone
When the bright summer skies fade into night
Out come the sparklers and lightening bugs
Filling the air with their glorious light

Childlike Anticipation saturates the air
What we’ve been waiting for all day is next
Everyone takes their stations in the yard,
Wicker chairs and on the front porch steps

Fireworks begin with bright flashes and crashes
And in unison we all “ooh…” and “ah…”
Till the last one goes off and a small voice
In the now dark, quiet night asks, “Is that all?”

Then like tired old soldiers we file back inside
And saying our goodbyes we all go home to bed
I dream of past battles for our lands freedom
But I look forward to Fourth of Julys ahead

The Field

Out beneath the open sky
Is a field that’s down the way
So quiet when a wind blows by
Rustling grass echoes for days

In that field I often sit
Thinking my thoughts all alone
If only for a little bit that
Peaceful quiet is my home

Ancient winds break my stare
In solitude time passes by
Life’s another world out there
In my refuge beneath the sky