12.07.2016

unfinished business



LIGHT CANOE

Cold Minneapolis.  White flakes
float solo, lazily
toward frozen sod.  He
sleepy too, Great Harry – shakes

his fusty bearskin (Mister Rabbi
tucked into his cave).
Wish they would behave.
A wayward dolor over fly-by

country ekes the bile from bunny-fur.
Infinitely gentle,
infinitely... mental
clamps inhibit memory, yessir.

Over the mantle in the dim apartment
Lafayette was dancing
just for Washington.  Sing
victory, Columbia – our true intent

was Liberty.  Hail to the Chief
in Indian Country –
arctic blue pine tree
sheds secret home (Sending Relief).

Grandpa’s got amnesia now.
The old brass shell from
Belgium mourns like a bell
in the pipe-smoky corner.  Plow

up the rose from the deep well of France,
Willa – that spiral dance
Crane zigzagged in a trance,
Atlantis echoing in weedy elegance.

                      *

Unfinished business crowds a heavy
surf onto the canvas.
Painter sticks to grass
with orange tar-baby.  Chevy

waves from Davy’s Locker – swings
his palm toward magnetic
north.  D.C. frantic –
Empire stuns fleet – Mort brings

us to us knees.  Only a wee
green island merman,
imperturbable, remain –
Pacific mule (Admiral of Ocean Sea).

A little grey jay (Whisky Jack)
whistles through her veil
of salt-shaking.  Sail
on, Peace CorpsPearl’s Clamshack!

Under the turbid rotoring
of pyramid schemes –
when trumpery becomes
a weird mudfish – a rippling

stone floats to the surface, springs
to hover – catenary
honeycomb (or berry-
gem).  All minions, toughs & underlings

flee suddenly, like shady characters
out of a bad novel
(their plots unravel).
Blue J’s light canoe threads jasper piers.

12.7.16

No comments: