Friday, March 28, 2014

Breathe The Briny

Motion of red to blue on homeward bound bridges
Across water and air I breathe the briny
Thirsty, dry and imprisoned by roads limited in direction
I breathe the briny
Responsibility of family, country and man
I breathe the briny
For insecurity, adventure, freedom, life and death
I breathe the briny


Monday, March 24, 2014

Beautiful Noise

Applauds please for the multitasking
That's right I'm listening to you while the green music flows to my ears
The voice of your day to the sound of melody is fine
Wait... I'm wanted by another who craves attention, so I listen
No pretty song from this one
It's a sad, sad opera filled with tragedy and whoa
I laugh as the story unfolds to reveal a joke played on us all
The player is not amused....Seriously!
Too many a sympathy needed when all around them joy, a indifferent noise so beautiful


Monday, March 17, 2014

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

I saw a leprechaun today with no pot of gold
A tiny little fellow who was poor and old
I asked him, "What's up?" and he didn't reply
He sparked up a doobie and let out a sigh
He passed it over, a gesture so kind
I gladly partake in the releasing of mind
We sit together in silence, all mellow with grace
I turn to look into the little guy's face
His eyes are blood shot, squinted and green
He smiles and points at a beautiful scene
The bar has opened, the one we sat near
With a big sign reading "Come Get FREE Beer!"
Without hesitation the leprechaun shouts, "Happy Saint Patrick's Day! I'm buyin' first round! The end of the rainbow has just been found!"



Saturday, March 15, 2014

The Long Man

Out run the shadow cast ahead as the haze blocks out the sun
It's gone now, the light
Not all of it, just that which separates you from dark
Dull illumination fills the air and the long man is scattered into oblivion
Cold, damp and somewhat lost while waiting , wanting the sun to shine
Looking for the long man to bring you warmth

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Mow No More

Green lines mark the predictable life
The machine moans within the confined yard and burns the refined leftovers of beasts once greater than ourselves
Cuts the lawn of captivity into submission
Short, docile and domesticated
Like the man, the family man, the civilized man emasculated by what he created
Dreams of a better life cut dreams of happiness
Blade against blade
Rows within borders are make believe stories from childhood when we were controlled by hands stronger than ourselves
But now we're muscular and know our heart and mind enough to break the fingers of the oppressive hand and go our own way

Sunday, March 9, 2014

For Monte: A Spewing Tribute

I don't know why I'm writing this. But I'm going to write it anyway since it should be safe here, all tucked away on my obscure little blog. For those who do read it, let it be known that the man I describe in the following essay is more than what's written. I only know him for what he is to me and nothing more. I write this because he is dying, maybe quicker than some of us. He has end stage cancer and it is most likely the thing that will end his life. But as most of us know there are no guarantees in life or death. I could very well die before Monte.
So I write this to you, Monte, as my tribute, my good bye to you if I shall leave this world before you. If you leave before me, then let it say the same.
I never got to say good bye to my father before he died. He died suddenly of a heart attack at work and that was it. I write this for purely selfish reasons. I write it to you to say what I may have said to my father before he died.
In the end you're not my father, but have come to symbolize something in my life that my father was not. You've given me an outside window to look through at a relationship between a child and father. I see more clearly now from a father's perspective, not only because I'm a father myself, but have learned through the relationship you have with your son and daughters. I've seen the love you had for your children expressed by providing for them, teaching them and disciplining them. These are hard things for a father to do and I know you did not do them alone. Barbara was a significant partner, but you did these things all the same. You are of my father's generation and I see parts of him in you and I love and appreciate those sacrifices he made for me more now than ever.
Thank you for welcoming me into your family and sharing time with me. Whether I or you are the first to shed this grand illusion called life, I wish to say good bye and thank you. If we somehow meet again in some separate reality, I look forward to it.

Some people might describe Monte as eccentric, a scientist, a father, a husband, a grandfather. And he's all those things and more than we'll know. I know Monte as my father in law and I can honestly say I like the guy. Yes, I like my father in law. I might even go as far as to call him my friend. Yes, I will go out on a limb here and call him my friend. I feel comfortable around him in silence. He's easy for me to talk to. I don't feel judged by him...and he has never criticized me to my face.
As far as I know I think he likes me. He's nice to me, he's listens to me, he's generous with me and he's asked me several times to hang out. Just him and I hangin' out like bros looking at flowers in some botanical garden or cookin' a meal. I remember one time he came along with me while I dove for abalone. He offered to stand look out on the beach and point to where my body would most likely be found by authorities if I were to drown. This made perfect sense to us, so off we went to the beach. Maybe he was hoping I'd drown, but I think he was really looking forward to the abalone. He really likes abalone. It's the one thing I can offer Monte that he wants and can't get himself. He knows lots of people and has many resources, so maybe he could get abalone from someone else. In fact I know he can get abalone from other people. His son Eric is one of them.
I like Eric and I married his sister Jen, so that goes without saying that I like her too. There's a third sibling. Her name is Linda and I can hang with her for a short time,  then I need a break. But I like her none the less. It's just that Linda comes with a circus (trust me when I say it's the best circus in town). Don't get me wrong, I love circuses but after a few days...well let's just say I tend to be a loner asshole.
Anyway,  I bring all this up because a man who can raise three children that I like (one of them I love) is alright in my book. Not only are his children likeable, they're smart and good looking too (they got their good looks from their mom by the way). These same children are raising wonderful children themselves. Cedric I haven't met yet, but I look forward to meeting him. And Linda's kids are, as I mentioned, the greatest show in town. I would do anything for any of them. I mean it. That's because they're family. That's the crux of it. They have all become my family. And it started with Monte. You can tell a lot about a man by what kind of children he's raised.
Let me not finish there, because for me what makes Monte interesting is his ability to be just who he is. No bullshit! He'll do and say things in any social settings that some of us might not do. That doesn't stop Monte, because he's not a bullshitter. Watching him in action is pure entertainment. I love to watch the reactions on people's faces when Monte takes food from their plate. And I'm talking about perfect strangers at a party. Now this may seem rude to some of you, but Monte wouldn't have a problem if someone took something off his plate. He's generous that way and his thinking is, 'Why would anyone else mind?'.
His stories are entertaining too. He has many of them and he's happy to share them with you. I like his stories. He's full of scientific facts because he's a scientist. A brilliant one who has made many discoveries in his field of chemistry.
I remember him sharing a story at dinner time with some friends of mine about how they've discovered that human bodies are taking longer to decompose because of all the preservatives in the food we are ingesting. I'm not kidding. It's an interesting fact. Oh! and to see the look on my friends faces was the best part of the dinner. For me it was awesome. I wanted to know more. Please Monte, continue...
I love him for that reason. I'm serious.
Of course all this does not sum up who Monte is. He's a great gardener and knows more about plants than anyone I know. He impressed my son by his ability to throw a perfect spiral over and over again when they played catch with a football. He shoots a great basketball. I watched him lift the end of a heavy planter box with two fingers while I held the other end with all the strength of my whole hand. That was after I shifted the weight from both. That grip was lasting from his days as a farmer and many years gardening.
Monte served his country in the defense industry through his knowledge of chemistry. He exposed himself to radiation and toxic materials while expanding knowledge. And in the end that's what most likely caused his cancer. He is courageous in facing his disease and has never stopped living. He has my admiration, my respect, my friendship.



Saturday, March 8, 2014

Knuckled hard and swollen to bony ridges
Split upon the skin that bleeds and cracks
The oil runs waxy now as the combustion of the wicked spews soot and stench
Fight motherfucker, keep punching away till your bruised hands become broken and club like
You're total hate now, spent on an evil
Burnt!