Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Promise To Naima


 
Promise To Naima


waking in the warm embrace with all our limbs entwined
holding onto to love that lasts through stormy dreams
she is curling into a ball of nestled beauty in my arms
as I catch glimpses of redemption in her eyes
that are opening into glimmer

dancing in sunlit cascades of warming morning light
she is a garden nymph bringing watering life
to all that is growing out of the musty earth
as her bare feet barely leave an imprint
along the dusty, leafy path

walking along a beach at sunset with gulls overhead
holding hands with fingers interlaced for comfort
looking out across the ocean crests in the distance
as if it could tell the future in a hopeful glance
at the oncoming peaceful dusk

standing in the rain together as we seek shelter from a storm
letting the torrents wash us clean against the cold wall
of the unforgiving end of the world that bounds us all
taking each others temperature as the moment builds
by touching each others hearts underneath layers
of clothing and flesh that burdens us in winter
holding on        holding on       holding on

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Round 21: Sparring W/ Beatnik Ghosts - "Wild Bunch"


SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10 -- Round 21: Sparring With Beatnik Ghosts -- "Wild Bunch"@ Art House Gallery & Cultural Center (2905 Shattuck @ Ashby) in Berkeley.

The 9/10/11 Spar will feature the following poets: Neeli Cherkovski, Amelie Frank, Marc Olmsted, Mel C. Thompson, A. Razor and David Smith's tribute "Remembering Scott Wannberg." Musical guest Zo & Rick. There will also be an "Outlaw Open-Mic segment. Sign-up to read at 6:30. Show starts at 7 p.m.

There is a $5 donation with proceeds benefitting Poetry Festival Santa Cruz on 2/12/12.

www.sparringwithbeatnikghosts.com


Sunday, August 21, 2011

he rides off at the end before the credits roll like teardrops

http://www.radiuslit.org/2011/08/21/poem-by-a-razor/

sparky and I have a heart to heart




sparky and I have a heart to heart


"you always try to be so stoic when people are lookin', mr. razor, don't you?"

"look, sparky, old boy, I am just trying to be strong for you,
I figure scott would want it that way."

"I am not as old as you, old boy, and I call em like I see em, tough guy, so
if you gotta let it out, just let it out, is all I'm sayin', mr. razor."

"(sniff), really, it's just a head cold sparky...and please, not so formal,
razor is just fine."

"well, scott always said you were a lil' tightly wound...a lil' edgy, if you will..."

"all right, sparky, call me whatever the fuck you want...jeez...you know, I like dogs,
more than I like people...I was a raised in a kennel...out in berdoo...so you can drop
the passive-aggressive thing...I probably talked more to dogs than people, if you
time it out...in my lifetime, I mean..."

"in a kennel? what on earth could those dogs have done to deserve that kind of treatment?"

"well, I was...huh? nevermind...I just wanted to be supportive...you know...throw a stick if you
wanted...maybe a frisbee...I am not so good with frisbees, tho...used em' more for rollin' than throwin' back in tha day, if you knowaddimean?...haha"...

"really? you are amusing to yourself, at the very least, I suppose...anyway, I gotta go...I can smell something
on the wind...um, off in the distance, I mean...where humans can't, soooo....yeah, keep your chin up
and all...don't whistle for me, I'll howl for you and all that"..."arf,arf...arf......arf..........arf"............

"SPARKY!?!?! Sparky!? dammit, come back...ohh...I hate these moments...friends passing on and not sure what to say to anybody anymore...wait...is that? he's coming back...good ole sparky...come here, boy!"

"woof, woooof" pant pant pant "i said "wooof"... pant pant pant

"you sound different, sparky...that run really got the better of you...you gonna be ok?"

"i could use some water...it is hot in here...um, around here"...

"sure, here you go...hey, if you want, I could be your temporary master for awhile, I wouldn't mind"...

"master? are you kiddin' me? I know how to operate an oxygen tank...I am nobody's chump...uh...I mean...look...I might have meant to say something else...I mean"...

"hey, you are not sparky...that is a dog suit...and not a good one at that...god, my eyes are getting bad...come here a second and let me...don't fight me...ow, shit...how did you get a dog suit with claws so sharp? dammit...hold still...holy sheep dip!!! MICHELLE BACHMANN? what the hell are you doing here?'

"(sniffle sniffle) You have found me out, razor...I have secretly been in love with scott wannberg for so long now...I I I ...I just can't believe he is gone...first Rick Perry and now this...I can't take it...I wanted to reach out to scott so many times...no one knows me like he does...I see myself in every one of his works of art in writing"...

"well, he did write about you often, is that what you mean?"

"yes, he was critical on a personal level, but he just really had me down...I mean...I don't even think the little jewish carpenter in the sky knows me as well as scott wannberg does...I wanna be his dog...I wanna be his dog...I can't take it"...

"whoa, off the dickie's, mrs. bachmann...get down...you are one surly bitch, mam...DOWN NOW!!!"

"oh, I'm so sorry...my bladder is so tiny these days...and texas is so big...not as big as scott's heart, tho...he made me wanna forget that stumpjumper from taxas...forget the whole teabagged last one of those corn fed constituents in Iowa...he made me wanna be a L L"...(crumpled in sobs)

"an LL? what the hell is an LL?"

"oh, don't make me say it...a  a  a..a LIBERAL LUTHERAN...oh god...oh god....please...I don't wanna live...please...I wanna be scott's dog...I wanna be sparky..."

"hey, where is sparky, anyway?"

...on a spiral trail to a worldy place where there are no dogs or masters, just eternal conversations that go round and round where every character actor and actress that ever trickled into the kodachrome and technicolor borealis is remembered as far more valuable than the leading man...this is where the constituency of loving fairness dwells...that is where sparky and scott are now...watching a classic movie channel that never ends with tv westerns in between every movie...always going back and forth with wisdom and insight that is just a lil' further off into the future...not so far that you don't notice as long as you never forget that there is where you need to be...right now, so get there before ya'll come back now, ya hear?...

Saturday, August 20, 2011

For Scott Wannberg







Scott


every time
I find that
dark side
of the road
and I think
I'm done for
this is going
to be it
sputtering
my last
tears and
breathing
my last
words
it's almost
done for good

then, like magic
your headlights
appear in the
distance
between us

they pull over
onto the shoulder
where I am certain
I am dying my last
lyrical death in this
maddening world
of miscommunications
parading as near misses

all I can hear in that
final moment is the sound
of the crackling gravel words
as they are getting closer

the headlights shine brighter

the crackling gravel words
under your tires
sing me the song
of my salvation
as I return to
the blacktop

riding free
once more

Thursday, August 18, 2011

...World...



World


sometimes the world cracks open
like it is gonna fall all apart
& you get real sad inside of
yourself
because you
are afraid of that
more than anything else
so sad that you feel like
you are not gonna make it
& you hold on anyway
real tight
because
it is
after all
still a world
most likely
the only one
you will ever get
to hold onto

Thursday, August 4, 2011

...smoke...

smoke

slowly, coming into focus
curled wisps roll up
clouds pour forth
looking like pillows
choking off life
covering the world
touching the landscape
darkening the skies
hanging in the air
like a swarm of phantom locusts
looking for the lungs of sweet innocence
finding lungs of corrupt diversion easily
smothering love with satisfaction
delivering narcotic release
twisting the duality of dragons in flight
slowly metamorphosizing the hearts of billions
covering the world
blackening the eyelids
soon this reality
will be the impression
of a charcoal relief
this empty embrace
is for the eternal
if you seek it out
on the blinding path
you might find the fire
at your feet
before the flame
is you