FOG THORNS©

HAT TRICK

in this vast ocean of humanity

a grain of rice knows equality

and speaks

conscious of itself without limitation

laughter resounds

thundering applause

for an audience without ears

for those without eyes

a bee onstage

dances the direction

the way is clear for those who know how to search

from his window the Pope blesses

a small green scum pond

on which a lotus blossom floats

for those who have  tasted the water

three coins are a distraction

divine coins land

unbelievably

on edge

a great cheer ruffles the surface

yes, it can be done!

followers form lines, set up folding chairs

one must be very careful

Maestro says

the logic is clear

just do this and

presto

yes, it appears!

everywhere coins are standing on edge

Maestro is given a special chair

a new hat

soon the fountain is deserted

climate change:

the pond goes dry

coins stand on edge as before

but now the new thirst . . .

someone grabs Maestro's hat

three witches roil the sky

crows bring a desperate message

suffering through clouds

programmers ride their laptops

the end is way far

beyond analog antiquities

they code

a new hat?

what do crows know?

PARTICLES

somewhat beyond the indoctrination of the mirror

in which wrinkles are inscribed

lies not a second youth

but one undiminished

not a matter of preserving foolishness

but the perseverance which outlasts fools

these plain words speak of cherry blossoms

the death of mountains

stars which make the pyramids of Egypt

dust

I speak not for the ages

it is rather the other way round

I speak for you

who read these tea leaves floating

in a minor cup

on an infinite sea

bring on gala advertisements

anthems of well meaning religions

population displacements

climate Armageddon

political purges

castles in gated communities

it is all the same

youth knows no particular frame

and in particular

owes no one

WILDINGS

BEFORE WHEELS AND COGS

hearts were beating

a rhythmic dance borrowed from the sun

even this accidental page

which

who knows how it got here

I release to fly on its own

crows are perhaps the first machinists

making tools to make other tools

crows watch humans, remembering friends

they fly on their own

do they ignore what they have learned

to learn what they are

as humans must?

perhaps it does not matter

accidents are precursors to great discoveries

perhaps the greatest:

what persists is not accidental

PLANE FACTS

mow this lawn

OK –anything else?

no, just mow

tomorrow the President gives a speech here

suppose the speech is cancelled, uh --

climate change you know

it won't make any difference, will it

mowing high or mowing low?

speech or no speech

just mow

all these questions

but the job is just the same isn't it?

just the same

how comforting

I hang my sign:

DO NOT DISTURB

FINGERS VERSUS TOES

pine trees growing in the dayroom

I'm just the recorder here

but privately, I must say, it's a happy sign

the usual assignments are somewhat ponderous

end of the world

great awakenings

I take 'em as they come

one and all

and though my raven quoth a bit longer

somehow think of Edgar Allen Poe

ravens are beyond good and evil

as are pine trees, frogs and the bay bridge

which brings a chuckle

ships hit it and what does it say?

PING!

transliterate glittering ships at night

(a favorite theme on Channel 5 weather news)

and it becomes a place for picnics

a dayroom

PONG!

my editor breathes a sigh of relief

the opening notes make a chord

well why not?

civilization has its faults

and so does the earth beneath the bridge

cars and jet transports haul by

on momentous missions

at Christmas bell ringers stake out streets

the noise is a song in several keys

of course I am the editor

so you can imagine

good and evil

fingernails versus toenails

and frogs croaking in the night