THE BEST VERSE

the best verse comes from laying in piss ditches
or fields of battle
or factories
or in dusty rooms
after popping pills that kill
the pain
and other things
the best verse is vacant lately
i have been vacationized
suburbanized
not radicalized
i've eaten too many good meals
stayed sober too long
and watch too much tv.

the best verse comes from pain
and horror
and comedy
and strange situations
not from the clubs
where men sit
and smoke cigars
and plot for more money
no it doesn't work that way.

for there is no verse
in rich mens yarns
only the bottom line
which is a line
i hate with such venom
that it makes me spew
words like this
and this is ok
even if it is
mediocre verse
but, it is better than
what i read
in the newspapers.

so maybe if i stumble for a few lines
and search for my muse
it will come back to me
for it has been too long
and my soul screams
not for the comfort of things
but for the piss ditch
once again.

NEVER HURRY

never hurry
for things that are dead
they're not on the clock
they've all gone to bed
no timecards to punch
no deadlines to meet
they've found a fine respite
a good place to sleep
in the abyss
or beyond
they never hurry
these things that are dead
they have no heartbeat
no brain in their head

as your mind ponders
these words of queer thought
do not be frightened
or oddly distraught
for time has places
for things that are dead
these varied mysteries
are all in our heads
don't dwell on them too long
although they are true
they're coming for me
they're coming for you
so, never hurry

ROCK AND ROLL STAR

his blue suit was as wrinkled as his face.
his trouser seat was shiny,
as he reached up and stretched his hands to the stars.
the audience laughed at him.
he grabbed his well-worn guitar out of a battered case.
many ignored him, but those who kept watching...
jeered, laughed, and threw refuse at him.
he stared blankly at them, as he went about his business.
they continued to laugh and shout insults in his direction.
the latest techno-factory produced loudly blared music.
the club speakers throbbed with this nonsense.
it was an insistent pounding of mediocrity.
the old man ignored it all.
then the house music stopped to the crowds dismay and anger.
a great wave of boos and catcalls filled the room.
finally, the old man turned on his amplifier.
he plugged in, and just stared at the crowd.
it was as if he demanded silence.
then magically, it finally came.
his fingers moved at rocket speed,
as the sweetest sounds emerged.
the jeers turned into cheers in a jack-split second.
he owned them now, 'cause he was a rock and roll star.

TRUTH SEEKING

there exists...
a carnival world,
of self-invention,
and self-promotion.

i have larger dreams for art forms,
unexplored.
i am humbled by the uniqueness,
of my human experiences.

i see my creative life as one being.
imagined and re-imagined...
so i can emerge,
from the chrysalis of my devices...
many times,

i try to define
and see clearly
the arbitrary developments
of my real life.

but my mind makes these events...
abstractions.
yes, i see only smoke and mirrors,
yet i try to be true to myself.
in this carnival world
of self-invention
and self-promotion.

CELEBRATE

celebrate more
don't lay on the floor
spread your wings
have some flings
and do what you love
that is the rub
just celebrate more
and love and adore
all the beautiful things
lose all of the strings
which bind your kind soul
don't dig a big hole
and crawl in and die
look up to the sky
and smile broad and wide
your love do not hide
just celebrate more

RIBS

i dreamt of eating ribs
i enjoyed them last week
at marlowes
est. 1974
on elvis presley blvd.
not to hot
just spicy enough
tangy damned bbq sauce it was!
and meat that fell off the bone
wet ribs
and hot waitresses
cheaper t-shirts and elvis memorabilia
and all was good
being picked up by a pink limo
i ordered the ride on a pink telephone
from the heartbreak hotel
in memphis
amazingly, the limo ride was free
i tipped my driver a fiver
and karma took me
to culinary delights
and good intel from my driver
for other sites
on a hot summer night
and my love looked into my eyes
and i felt her warmth
and saw the sauce on her cheek
as we walked hand-in-hand
past graceland

MEMPHIS

we rolled through rural illinois
went through cairo after they blew the dikes
wept when we saw all the devastation
water on farmlands
people flooded out
illinois, missouri, arkansas, memphis tennessee.
we partied on beale street
mud island disappeared
the blues are for real in southern illinois
they are for real in the mid south
graceland brings in the "moolah"
i heard that lisa marie nets a million a month
the bbq at marlowes in the best in town
we came back yesterday because the rains started again
we saw them sandbagging on I-57
just north of cairo
yeah, we heard the blues
we saw the blues first hand
it's good to be home
but don't forget to throw a few bucks
toward the relief funds
for the people devastated by these rains