1.
A winter image met me in a dream
Of swaths of lilies frozen in the creek
They sent me west to find a warmer stream
And drink from hidden waters I must seek
Of swaths of lilies frozen in the creek
They sent me west to find a warmer stream
And drink from hidden waters I must seek
And find it fast, though not by light of day
It's through the night I turn you in my mind
I'm like the sinner learning how to pray
At altars that I never thought I'd find
It's through the night I turn you in my mind
I'm like the sinner learning how to pray
At altars that I never thought I'd find
Awaken me with kisses on the neck
And rise beside the red Pacific sun
To let its light reveal the will to peck
The cheek of chance, once summer's healing's done
And rise beside the red Pacific sun
To let its light reveal the will to peck
The cheek of chance, once summer's healing's done
So when I meet the crisp autumnal air
I'll look beyond, and hope to see her there
I'll look beyond, and hope to see her there
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2.
As evening sets, a zealous march begins
With drums and horns to pound the mind awake
Gale, blow me down the race nobody wins
Against the solaces I seldom take
With drums and horns to pound the mind awake
Gale, blow me down the race nobody wins
Against the solaces I seldom take
I agonize as falling from my grasp
These grains of time float deeper through the gloam
If only could my hungry fingers clasp
But one, to hold me still and lull me home
These grains of time float deeper through the gloam
If only could my hungry fingers clasp
But one, to hold me still and lull me home
Hold fast, I hear—a voice from deeper in
A patient tender waiting to be freed
From whom I'll draw such willful breath within
And sigh upon this paper beauty's seed
A patient tender waiting to be freed
From whom I'll draw such willful breath within
And sigh upon this paper beauty's seed
A moment fore, I fostered thoughts afear'd
But here I wrote and lo, my mind is cleared
But here I wrote and lo, my mind is cleared
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3.
Uncertainty, the new god racks my brain
And hides from me a future bathed in light
For frantic blood from neon idols stain
My journals, bind my lively hands with blight
And hides from me a future bathed in light
For frantic blood from neon idols stain
My journals, bind my lively hands with blight
Fast, to and fro, I pace on this or that
Idea drawn from secret ether lines
That fly my room, a ghostly acrobat
Who meets me on his time with grand designs
Idea drawn from secret ether lines
That fly my room, a ghostly acrobat
Who meets me on his time with grand designs
Too much at once will strike me in my soul
As blows from that galvanic demagogue
Clash with the sacred self. Such is the toll
The poets pay to light us through the fog
As blows from that galvanic demagogue
Clash with the sacred self. Such is the toll
The poets pay to light us through the fog
So listen close, for riding Eden's breath:
The words of father time, and mother death
The words of father time, and mother death
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4.
Those noble few who knew me from my youth
Have mostly scattered as a leaf whisked by
The gentle wind. And yet it seems the truth
May be we all in tandem still will fly
Have mostly scattered as a leaf whisked by
The gentle wind. And yet it seems the truth
May be we all in tandem still will fly
Together once, but parted like a stream
Young men trudge onwards to their battles each
And reach each other nightly in a dream
To share such spells that no grimoire can teach
Young men trudge onwards to their battles each
And reach each other nightly in a dream
To share such spells that no grimoire can teach
I'm older now, and hopeful of old age
When bound my skin will be tight to the bone
And solo will I walk across the stage
Yet even there, a hand holds mine alone
When bound my skin will be tight to the bone
And solo will I walk across the stage
Yet even there, a hand holds mine alone
I think of you, my friend. Do you of me?
Your memory's a song that sets me free
Your memory's a song that sets me free
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5.
One hundred poems line my mind at once
When I upon her gaze from leagues away
Consumed, the haggard hound in hunger hunts
Each night with careful reason gone astray
When I upon her gaze from leagues away
Consumed, the haggard hound in hunger hunts
Each night with careful reason gone astray
Come morn, with newly brewed ambrosia black
And strong, a brain cleared by the cleansing sun
I work, and think not of the warmth I lack
But of the precious writing to be done
And strong, a brain cleared by the cleansing sun
I work, and think not of the warmth I lack
But of the precious writing to be done
It is not long, though, fore she creeps back in
And plays me like the harpist's holy lyre
Unleashed, she tempts me sweet with supple skin
Then throws me to my knees upon her pyre
And plays me like the harpist's holy lyre
Unleashed, she tempts me sweet with supple skin
Then throws me to my knees upon her pyre
'Tis yearning speeds my mind toward its break
My heart knows well the ache, the ache, the ache
My heart knows well the ache, the ache, the ache
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6.
This boiling mind is tempered not by drugs;
They rally to the task its daft trapeze
So now I nurse the vice of lightning bugs
And heed their call to walk along the trees
They rally to the task its daft trapeze
So now I nurse the vice of lightning bugs
And heed their call to walk along the trees
A younger man found romance in the act
Of writing with a drunk and heavy pen
When, looking back, that blackened brain attacked
The page some twenty times against my ten
Of writing with a drunk and heavy pen
When, looking back, that blackened brain attacked
The page some twenty times against my ten
So quell the beast I did—or did I, though
For still my wits must wax the aftershock
Of sober demons feeding. Even so:
There's little can't be solved by thoughtful walk
For still my wits must wax the aftershock
Of sober demons feeding. Even so:
There's little can't be solved by thoughtful walk
How lucky then, fore man invents the street
Divinity, that doctor, gifted feet
Divinity, that doctor, gifted feet
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7.
I often worry that I lack the span
To sculpt the clay incarnate to my flesh
These thoughts, the arts existent in a man
Are matched with fears I'll miss the harvest fresh
To sculpt the clay incarnate to my flesh
These thoughts, the arts existent in a man
Are matched with fears I'll miss the harvest fresh
And yet, I stand here blessèd in my years
To sing my song through time infinitum
Or seems it so. The shore of ages 'pears
To sup on waves which endless lap life's drum
To sing my song through time infinitum
Or seems it so. The shore of ages 'pears
To sup on waves which endless lap life's drum
But what if I'm misguided by my clock
And drums of time betray for death's machine
At once, I feel both sated and in shock
A pendulum so desp'rate to find mean
And drums of time betray for death's machine
At once, I feel both sated and in shock
A pendulum so desp'rate to find mean
So must we weigh this life's unsettled score
The joy of artistry; the job of war
The joy of artistry; the job of war
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8.
Come meet me past the stream, dream visitor
And teach me well your language with your lips
Arrest my will—no, nothing could deter
This dance of hurried hands and twisted hips
And teach me well your language with your lips
Arrest my will—no, nothing could deter
This dance of hurried hands and twisted hips
But now the sun is breaking through the helm
Cascading as an earthquake through her kiss
Then black, then back awake—ripped from the realm
Of Aphrodite and of Artemis
Cascading as an earthquake through her kiss
Then black, then back awake—ripped from the realm
Of Aphrodite and of Artemis
By day, the world has left me feeling grey
As ashes round the kiln of evening's flame
I am but man, and what man wouldn't stray
When from the night, desirous daze became
As ashes round the kiln of evening's flame
I am but man, and what man wouldn't stray
When from the night, desirous daze became
There is no length I'd short—I'd steal, I'd scheme
If only we could meet beyond the dream
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If only we could meet beyond the dream
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9.
I find my mind is oft consumed by death
But such that I regard her as a friend
Thus, I fear not. I feel each numbered breath
A comfort as I walk toward the end
But such that I regard her as a friend
Thus, I fear not. I feel each numbered breath
A comfort as I walk toward the end
At dawn, she'll knock. And lo, her chain
Hangs low my stoppèd clock. Upon her horse
She'll fly me o'er that blest and blustered plain
And bear me where the spirits pierce the source
Hangs low my stoppèd clock. Upon her horse
She'll fly me o'er that blest and blustered plain
And bear me where the spirits pierce the source
No sooner than my time will she fulfill
Her role. Each fated age can she foresee
And patiently, for me, she'll wait until
My string of life's been plucked of melody
Her role. Each fated age can she foresee
And patiently, for me, she'll wait until
My string of life's been plucked of melody
My final plea, freed by my last inhale:
To weigh me, death. O, weigh me on the scale.
To weigh me, death. O, weigh me on the scale.