Fast Day 21 October 27, 2007 {For Peace}

For peace



My love is not low-cost;
and love is not efficient.
My children burst into my time
and cause me grief and anger.

My friendship's not insured;
it has not been assayed.
The exoskeleton of love
is filled with just our touch.

My baby is not digital;
my devotion has no logic.
My children are uneconomic
unthrifty, unfrugal and squandrous.

My fear's not fully invested;
my prayer is not for sale.
My grandfathers' honor is wasteful
of the food and drink we offer!

My love is unscheduled;
my lover takes too much band width.
My children are the pilgrimage of everything
I am and everything I'll ever be!

Fast Day 20 October 19, 2007 {Magician's Calendar}

Fasting and 1 poem for peace in the Middle East.


Magicians' Calendar


the sunshine strained through dimity
steals through the panes of fall;
a world made close and still’d of voice
beat on the windows’ pall.

the feller strokes of chopping wood,
that clocks within a face;
the hired man, the open road
and the impotence of lace!

try and find that which was toss’d
along horizon’s fence;
discover unknown graveyards
among our scattered sense.

the power of your nakedness
arboreal erotic play!
the forest gasps at your withdraw
the sweet, o sweet, manticore!


note:
manticore as used here has 4 syllables, ending in a long e and rhyming with "play".
Etymologically we use it as if it were derived from Greek "mantis, manteos" -one who divines, a prophet, a seer - and "kore", a young maiden.
Following the examples of "mantikos", the adjective, and "mantipolos" a combined noun, we create "manticore" = a young woman prophetess or seeress.

One may think that the meaning of "manticore" as a man-eating monster is rather far afield from this interpretation. However, we prefer to think of that particular meaning being given by fearful males spying upon Mysteries not meant for their eyes, whereat they were rendered impotent as if by Medusa or Artemis.

Fast Day 19 October 12, 2007 {Bygone}

Bygone

In times gone by, some girl gave me a flower;
My lover gave me a magnolia, many-branch and fragrance.

A teacher handed me a lamp;
My lover gave me the various moon.

I was given wine by many;
My lover gave the vineyard and hope of Dionysos.

A friend once gave me a boat;
My lover gave the journey along the river.

I have prayed with many;
My lover is orant in an ancient cave.

I was given a kiss;
My lover gave me labyrinthine delight.

Fast Day 18 October 5, 2007 {On Viewing A Child's Grave}

Once a week, usually Friday, I fast and write a poem, apparently under the impression that this will help to end the war in Iraq.

Actually, it will, but for the most part, the people that read this are very rational and they will take a bit of time to understand the dynamic.

On Viewing A Child's Grave:
Coming upon a cemetery while walking through the woods to a vacation picnic.

Give him a hat,
a marble lamb;
no name thereon engrave.
Give him a robe,
a swath of lawn,
alive, we never gave.
Give him boots:
of stoney base!-
he'll no more run and play.
Give him a rose
within his cheeks
to bright this holiday.
Give him heart
and give him vein!-
O, undiscovered bourne!
May he wake
within Your love,
O God of Life eterne!



note:
In old cemeteries, there are tombstones which are small lambs with no name or inscription. I assume these are for babes not yet named. Perhaps for some other incident.
This was the start of this work, this poesis - in the Greek meaning "a work, a doing".

A Poem is a soul's doing. Not all souls. Some do other things. Those that swim in the web of language often do poetry.

Fast Day 17 September 28, 2007 {Viewing Xiang Lake...}

Viewing Xiang Lake from the Pavilion of the Four Great Ministers


Yang Shi and Zhao Shanqi;
Gu Zhong and Guo Yuanming;
they created the lake
for benefit of farmers and
the people of the districts and townships.

The Sun and Wu usurped the lake
and built structures large
and illegal for themselves
and brought ill times and ruin to
the people of the districts and townships.

Weeds choke the water and lily pads are unseen.
The smoke from the kilns fills the air;
its odor is everywhere, night and day.
The Earth is changing;
The Times are out of joint:
In 1551 the plum trees of Xiaoshan
had oranges hanging from their boughs.
"If trees produce what is inappropriate,
farmers and citizens will be robbed."

The Ice no longer forms in the North;
great fires sweep across the plain in summer;
the sea is starving and whales have disappeared;
the Earth cries out to its Mothers, the light and the dark:
who knows what will happen?
War and its rumors are everywhere;
no one easily lays a head to one's pillow now.
The ministers no longer serve the people and
all government is up for sale.