The Gardener
Santa Clara, CA 95051
theroot_
BRAIN STORM©
BRAIN STORM
basketball, to begin somewhere in the middle
is vaguely similar to baseball, football, pool hall, bocce ball
and to brain ball
which is more like ping pong
brains and ping pong balls are of dissimilar weights
but the object of the game
is almost without mass
ponderous decisions hang in the balance
thought is parent to the deed
so it helps to visualize where the ball must go
if only life were this simple
WIRELESS TELEPATHY
time does not begin or end
no “Pause” button
all the stuff normally thought about
is on a roll in a player piano
high rise window washers
with thoughts about shooting craps
Scarne on Dice
or the next megacity project now floating
to the surface of a luncheon for secretaries
and sycophants
and investment bankers
'neath the magic moss
calmly contemplating a coy pond
but then the sky gets real
begonias 'neath the oak tree
wilt
some sort of wildcat has attacked the chickens
a broken bottle in the creek
word over the radio that Wagner in his rusty vest
will save our western world
with the Ring Cycle
then in walks Hitler
view cameras in most places blink shut
history books suffer epileptic fits
until D day
when everyone dies
terror turns another face:
Mu!
this Etch-a-Sketch edifice
shaken to its roots
even our marching band, in all its glory
rattling down to dust
whew!
remember Seinfeld?
Kramer sliding in through the door?
no?
don't remember?
good
POINCIANA
beneath the rubble
creatures stir
smoking runes overhead
earthquakes and the Change
are gravity warps at the Mystery Spot
in the heart of psychedelic country
jets streak through the mystery
deep blue
then streaked with orange
with political undertones
lawn chairs and corrugated roofs
flying in disarray
an ill wind indeed
no radio sets
no national message of fireside cheer
just a few creatures in storm cellars
reading this
BAMBOO NOTES
a small Japanese dish
with just one morsel:
a bent piano note
or sliced apples
topped with cinnamon and yogurt
this is how dreams jockey for position
a piano can sound notes loudly or softly
or sustain some while others get played staccato
but can a piano bend notes
like a slide trombone?
as I stared at the white topped apples
with cinnamon flecks
and recalled the program Susan had saved
showing how Wasabi is made
and that it could be used in salad dressing
for some time now
having tried cinnamon
well what the hell . . .
it moved that bent note off the plate
my keyboard has sliders for pitch
it does work unthinkably well
BULLDOZE THE ORCHARD
perhaps a shift in gravitational fields
or a wicker chair on the beach
does the big black bee
laden with pollen
share my interest in a purple flower?
we both approach
and bump together
does the flower love the bee?
or me?
or you?
remember the Victrola record dog?
his master's voice?
history spins at 78 RPM
gratitude
peace at last
things that never mattered
are gone
HEAT
the median strip on Lawrence Expressway is devoid of weeds
backdrop for a Roadrunner cartoon
traffic moving like a caterpillar
no reason for this unexpected mood
Slaughter On Tenth Avenue
track meet days at Montezuma
echoing over the lake
over mountains
into where?
did it really matter how high we jumped?
but no one could speak of it
as I slowed the truck to park in front of our place
Susan walked up and pulled off a shovel
the day lily would have to come out, its pollen
she had learned
could be fatal to cats
but we'd have to use the pry bar
and finally, as we both piled on
the plant lifted up
yea!
this morning's light brought voices
a large woman and her small daughter
enjoying a walk together
her joy had landed in our garden
cinder blocks are just the right height
for a three year old
sitting right next to a tomato plant in its wire cage
pointing everywhere
while her mother pointed to adventures down the street
until unexpectedly the joy spread further
leading them to move on
then a small bird arrived
to perch on the wire cage
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The Gardener
Santa Clara, CA 95051
theroot_