falls dead within its tarnished case
"No more," it cries, "I'm broken!"
but in a voice too small to hear
above the howling gale
like dimes, its whispers disappear
like us, it hates to fail.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plastered to the heavens
like napkins beered to bars
they're tens if not elevens:
the planets and the stars.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Painted glass in every city
blocks the gaze of beastly boys
Ladies draw their curtains, pretty
certain it's not missing toys
the lads are looking for this evening
nor lost snakes or pepper mills
steamy sights are what they're thieving
not too young to dig cheap thrills.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Simply felt as hair by face,
snow on couch by fireplace,
blocked affection spots his guide
racing down her slippery slide
to a bed of scary joys,
hears the call of her Ahoys,
then creepy-crawls to where she beckons.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fire and meat, potato salad
barbecue is always valid
twenty dogs and twenty brats
How much beer? I'd say lots.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Here beneath the silver town
eyes all carefully look down
urban instinct to be surly
closes off the hurly-burly
city bonds grow colder sooner
emotionally, the landscape's lunar.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Exploding with utility, the men of exiled grace
call wistfully for exercise, the challenge of the race
their bones and concentration hope a game of painful forces
will help them to forget about their sensitive divorces.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Decide, said the doctor, what'll it be?
get a beautiful face scientifically
approval is yours with fuller new lips
made with the fat that we've drawn from your hips
wrinkles be gone, and anxiety too
ask about terms for a radiant you...
Well, the ether was sweet and my flesh is now tight
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Stay metallic, copper eyed,
o rugged robot mine
your silver flesh and what's inside
stand stately and refined
I never grasped your exile
in the closet, solid neighbor,
I never thought to thank you while
you freed my days from labor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Pursue the challenge, older fellow
drag your songs out, grab your cello
buy the band some Wonder Bread
and send them off to watch with dread
your magic journey back in song
a happy gig that might go wrong
they say you can't be cool past fifty
but even trying's pretty nifty.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Beer from powder (just add water)
soaking into yonder blotter
dry the blotter out in here,
grind it, make more powdered beer!
~~~~~~~~~~~~
That glowing broth, the cream of hope
is known for features any dope
a soup inedible when burnt.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hey there, noodle, why so broad?
noodle trimming center flawed?
skinny fallen to disfavor?
grandness said to yield more flavor?
reasons keep emerging strengthwise
still, I think I'll cut you lengthwise.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ballooning down the hall one day,
Naomi wished her youth away
up went money, style and class
down rebellion, beauty, bone mass
when her craft approached the attic
youth came back on, automatic.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anxiety, that modern horse,
is charging quickly 'round the course
as Reason wears a jaded face —
he knows that Joy should lose this race.
Then suddenly a fragrant breeze
appears to make the leader freeze
and Reason learns what Excess knows:
the winner's Joy, if by a nose.