so, do we appreciate your business

these Rackety Rows upon rackety rows
isled in Navy.
squishity melons, cheekity flat
gravity's robbery, parkity packed
go hauling, be perching
'pon luggage so large:
                     ponderous bird, so henfully
                                                    incfully brooding

Advention, extortion
they hawking salt potion
(eastwest be drilling to tap into gusher) which
yank up our tension, at-
traction, want More
more mouth, more sels (more smackerels)
be dollop a-yonder, recline on a lounge
                                      (now Donder, now Blitzen
                                        so leapfully bound)

Ka-charging, ra-ra
ra-wracking advance (pom-poms all a-flailing)
we skeeter bescatter
      jiving crab walking
      pumping up jam
      sponging de onions:
     [tag ragging]
     [box juking]
     [hop hipping]
     [bug jitting]
     [toe tipping]
     we spin on de dime.

the rackety cargo, rows upon
scuttle 'pon Zenith
bending o'clock
     to filligree fully flown folly
     to trumpet Styx Rivers
     to language our shivers
     to tickle da timbres
     to rollick on high.

apply now, gain fly now
     stack up some miles
now day to the morrow
     with compliment smiles
begin at the ending with style

shortlong, this
wa- wendering westerly southery dusk
pass upon passing, pasturely passing
     the coke and the bust
     the yolk and the dust
                   as watery well
     jauntily sequined
     heavily dredged
     prickly sedged
     dutifully clenched
     manfully twerked
     bernestly zerked
     crustily jawed:

the boozle, the bamble,    the
robin-topped stable
raking out great honking
rackity clackity
chimney-topped
festoons of brass.

December 2022 | Arizona
(inspired by edward estlin)

Week's End

Exhale, my friend, breathe deep
Your scurrying has ceased
Your troubles come undone
Hustle's need now gone.

Rest upon this evening
Let your cares unfold
Disconnect the WiFi
Set aside your aims.

Recline across the heavens
Let the cities slide
Like leaves upon wide river
Plucked by Autumn's tide.

Your chase was long and fruitful
But chasing's never done
Your inbox piling higher
Logs stacked upon the fire.

But, now's your time to let things go
Allow the streets to fill with snow
Breathe deeply of this night's crisp air
Release the ropes you've bound to care.

ORD to YVR

Winter Daydream

 Eyes shut white, waiting for the words...

Coasting up from white
               to silver-gold
               pinpricks jostle
               tumbling scarves of silk
               inviting tossed carnations
               turbulence of apple blossoms               
               drifting of December frost
               soft upon broad mesas.

               meanderings of thought
               upon such white.

Silver-blue: the shadows of white clouds
               soft stains of ink
               upon the stainless snow
               the graphite squares of men,
               traced thin
               with graceful curv-ed corners
               negotiating ice.

Folding flat: origami of blue lake
               smoothing out my thoughts
               like buttery draught
               of apple juice
               sliding long my tongue.
               Like florets of terrain
               that etch dendritic shadows
               on whiteness of the land,
               as ice enshrouds
               the turbulence
               of currents deep & blue.

YVR to ORD

October Afternoon

Here,
Midst all circling arcs,
Surrounded by such upright stand of fir,
Upon this round of rock,
Softened by parched carpet:
                                  green-gold mosses,
                                  straw-gold grasses,
                                  abiding 'til the rains revive them,
Below clear bluewhite heaven,
as solar orb, swung low to right,
                                  casts splintered rays
and fallen from past winter's tempest,
                                  roots exposed,
peeling trunk of old arbutus
                                  sprouts green shoots,
                                  reaching up,
                                  climbing for the blue.

This place reclines on afternoon,
punctuated by the raven's honk,
                                 and distant treefrog's croak
Sunlight paints in ochre hues
                                 the fir-top cones
                                 now nodding on slight breeze.

I, too, abide,
                                 thought dispersed,
just breathing this
Exquisite autumn air.

Thetis Park

Mirror of the Morning

 Storing up,
              this paper keeps   unwriting
              this fabric now unthreads
              this moistening of dry salt air
              the softness of long ripples licking stone
              the sparking shimmer,
                                   forever drifting galaxies
              these hazy hills that vanish into sea:
                       all so insubstantial,
                       like stains within a mirror.

Mirror of this morning
              embellished by long silken floss of spider
              fastens threads of sunlight
                                  onto tassels of the ripened grass
                                  dense floral crowns of Queens Anne's lace

                                  our human rustlings
                                         vanished into sea
                                  meanderings of wasps
                                         like tracings of our
                                         fingers upon water.

Long long long ago the stories ceased
                      their words evaporated
            the meaning came undone
            the moral long forgotten
            abiding in this vacancy of legend,
            we paint our stories, lacking ink
            brushed across this hazy sky
            we slip, like sunlight,
                     vanished into sea.

 

Ruckle Park, Salt Spring Island

           

Peroni Nil

Summer's deck
                                                                  Awning tan
Bobbing on the breeze
                                                                 Silk Sonic
Bobbing on a song
                                                                 Fingers of the fir
Tapping along
                                                                 Paper sky
Brushed in stripes of blue
                                                                 Raven hoots
Hummingbird chitters on
                                                                Toes tap time
Smiling eyes shut
                                                                 Nodding on forever
Cheshire Afternoon.

 

Illuminating every hue
Voicing each harmonic
Spreading clear warm air
                                like butter
                                like stroking flag-bright wings
                                of wandering tiger swallowtail
Nodding petals of the poppy
Silvered shadows of the fir
                                Resting nice and easy
                                on this forever
Watercolour afternoon.

Gourman Place

1830 Sailing

ship's horn, now
deeply drink some breath of sea.

stars upon dark glass, skipping quick
passing yellow float plane's chug
treebound land now slips away
ship inscribes a giant silver slalom.
In channels to the West
isles recline 'pon thin bed of mist.

Scattered o'er these darkened waves:
                       broken rafts of bladderwort.
below these foam-topped shadows:
                       garden of the kneeling serpent.

We, who bask upon the eve,
        transfixed by the glow,
We, who fasten moments in a box,
       spilling words in rivers,
We, who carve white channels on the sea,
       grasping with encrusted nets,
We, who painted gold across our skin,
       posing betwixt petaled lips,
We, who scrabbled postholes into rock,
       weaving toothpicks into quilt,
We, who sailed from the sun,
       gazing fore and aft as Janus,

We, who held our loved ones close,
       sharing moment's warmth 'fore night:

Never know what pass beneath.

Never witness wave's embrace
                      upon the furthest shore.

 

Friday Harbor to Anacortes, WA                     

Tea Chatter

Under dripping morning's moisture,
chatter of the chocolate Percherons
                     19 hands tall
                     standing solid in the stable
                     their muscled jaws
                     grinding sweet fescue.

Chatter of the quality of tea flasks
                     how to remove stains
                     from stainless steel:
                     boiled water & dish soap.

Chatter of footwear
                     shoes soaked clear through
                     from crossing meadow
                     that sponged up
                     last night's random clatter
                     peppering our tarps.

Chatter of the good life
                     living in constructed nests
                     birthing nestlings, whom we feed
                     with tenderness of eagles
                     alighting with some
                                             shreds of flesh
                     on poplar roost
                     mirrored in a lotus pond
                     the fierceness of their voice
                     ignored by grazing geese.

Chatter of the lovers of men, who
                     sampled tofu, turmeric,
                     vanilla, prickly ash;
                     the women left behind
                     to fend for offspring
                     born of fleeting trysts.

                    

Silver Lake, Red Mountain Campground

Recreational Vehicles

        ever seeking better
        when it's just right now.
        ever calculating
        digits leaking from our fingers
        spilling like ball bearings...

while shimmering of the birch,
restless coinage never lost a cent.

        always there may be delays
        collisions of intent,
        despite our hulking Hemi
        Lariat Super Duty
        we may find our dreams ripped open
        shattered beside highway.

while reeds beside the pond,
feathering the breeze,
gently shelter larvae of the dragonfly.

        our quantum cabaña
        fabricated homestead
        affording storylines of comfort
        hauled here with our Powerstroke
        will fill, one day, with dusted cobwebs,
        acrid urine of the rat.
        just as Chrysler's vacant lot
        concedes in web of cracks,
        sprouting hedgerows of the random weed.

while ever rustle leaves of birch
and with their many round fingers
perform piano on the wind

        Never missed a note.

Seal Rock RV Campground

Illumination

 We lumbering solar systems
        striding in swarms of points of Light
               chatting utterance of cosmic popcorn
                       we're bubbling infinite
                               we're radiating entropy

We slung our skins around the sun
       we fanned alluvium
               we drenched the event Horizon
                       irrigated croplands
                                of the possible

Every particle blazing starlight
       brilliance
               blinds my eyes
                       shimmers
                               throughout every gap

Lend me the grace of the corner of your eye
        that I may see as you
                in Panovision
                        all reflections crystal bright

Lend me the confidence of your intent
        that I may kindle lanterns
                rippling dawn across
                        these Myriad lakes of ink

 

Toronto Pearson

Restlessly

 Stepping cross glass
                girdled shoppers
               winged slippers traipsing Copper

Spilling groceries onto Heavens
               mind clicking digits,
                               calculating
               «How to get me more»

And tramping oozes uptown
               swarming footed millipedes
               grasping hungry plastic
               roving eyes         on each antenna.
                               dragging bags of entrails
                                               along the concrete
                                               a human smear

Winding out through turnstiles
               roaming every avenue
                               fists clutching
                               lipstick
              marking hieroglyphics onto
                               walls of brick
               broaching            chocolate
                               tangled
                                               golden yarn
               causing us to stumble gossip
                               elbows jerking
               as some fading echoes
                               spur rust
                                               to sprout along the tracks

23 May 2022 | Midtown Manhatten

Diabetic

 Toothless, sprawling on the bench
                  chain gumming Jolly Ranchers
        his legs inflated,
                 sores erupting
                 toes gone blue, gone numb,
                 causing him to stumble
                                   in Scarlet runners
        with hands like claws
                 shoveled candies into pocket
                                   grimy blue parka

Eyes like goldfish scanned carriage
                 darting for shred of sympathy
                                   which we withheld
                 furtively spying
                                   this
                                   miserable sucking man.

NYC Subway

Liquid

Falling
           from
                  Land
                  to
                  Land:
                             offspring of the clouds
                                          frosting of the sky

Gathered into mighty pools, that bear witness to the
                                                                           March
                                         March of ponderous whisps
                                                      cluttering horizon

                 Ascending upon moonbeam
            Wringing freshness of starlight
                                   drenching furrows
                                    mustering to channels
                                    mingling with roots
                                                      falling back to Heaven                  

Mirrored in an emerald
                                      Lake:
                                                     Row
                                                     upon
                                                     Row

 

YYZ to LGA

Humanoid in Flight

 All
these fragments:
bitterness we crave
bitterness we shirk
creeping fog along the lens
squealing in the
channel of my
ear, as
pressure lapses
mediation among
belly, spine
elbows fending armrests
salt & pepper, neatly trimmed
ankles, folded
hips stowed
anus mute
rest upon the leather air
creeping hum along the wrist
celebration on my tongue
vagueness on my eye
swaying on the sky

13 May 2022 | Westjet

Home for the Holidays

for Tessa & Nagwang

Rolling from the docks, stars like pixies twirling down, frosting cross the land, decking streets in white, heaping high, filling full crevasses of the needles of the firs.

We rolled into the Christmas night, adorned by strings of light in hues of blue, pink, yellow, red, magenta, green, and white, wrapt about the tottering Norfolk Pine. While sugar plum faeries drew forth gifts and glamour: golden spheres, silver skates, paper snowmen holding hands, origami cranes. Lady of the Ermine Cloak held high her candles as she stood upon the topmost branch, casting eyes toward the pastel star, hanging o'er Tchaikovsky's box of song.

Between our palms, a glass of spiced rosé. Oysters simmered in a broth of milk and butter. Wild rice and gravied beef; breadcrumb stuffing laced with sauteed shrooms and shallots, leaves of celery, Italian parsley; crimson cranberries sugar sauced with apples, tiny oranges, clove, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom.

Stockings summoned at the hearth stuffed by Santa full of Lindt and Toblerone, marzipan and Lotto, cat butts and a tangerine. We heaped up wrappings by the fire, donned 5 pairs of Darn Tough socks. Unwrapped Tibetan Atlas, mushroom log and DNA, polka-dot and kitty printed pantaloons, singing balls of Woodulisten, 7 beans, 2 shelf connectors, ponded lotus, frankincense & myrrh, guitar restrung, merino fashions. One intrepid quintuply packaged Moku Hoku.

One last walk among the ancients, Captain's quarters, salmon cannery, ranch upon the frosted Peace. Lounging in the velvet seats we pined with Charlie, waiting for some jilting ladies, dreaming dance of buns on forks. Farewell to Old Town, dressed in Christmas finest.

All the while, Northern whiteness deepened our cocoon, gracing acres round the lake, cataloging pathways of our tramping, as our boots crunched frosting formed of needle ice. The flurries drew us to the mountain, slurping drought of Tim's steeped tea, chains upon our tires, climbing twixt the drooping trees of Seuss. We bound our boots to boards and planks, then blindly slid through blizzard, cheek skin stung by swarms of Winter. Soft blankets of the slopes fluffed our glide, swallowed up our hoots and laughter. Dangling feet below the chair, we melted chocolates in our mouths, and floated up to wind-scraped summit, where racing flurries cloaked the sky. Then, nestling into tubes we slid into the evening, spinning hilariously. Huddled in the buried Lexus, we snacked and played umbrella games. Then crawling in a red parade, we inched back down to rain-washed miles of night. Paused in glimmering ghostly Ladysmith to grab an oily bag of golden arches.

Before the door, boughs of holly, boughs of fir, woven, wired, wound in wreath. Shovellings of snow heaped high, packed up into walls of white, topped up by one broad umbrella. After dark, we climbed into enchanted igloo, illuminated by 5 votive candles. Quaffed a mug of steaming chocolate, spiked with Irish Cream. Told the legend of a 5-legged tiger and a baby 5-legged yak.

Upon the eve of year's new dawn, we gathered, feasted, swaggered in some wood spoon fashions. Raised a cup of kindness high, to toast the promise, promise of a bright beginning. And toast the warmth of friendship burnished brightly by the years.