The Gardener
Santa Clara, CA 95051
theroot_us@yahoo.com

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anthrology

 

ANTHROLOGY©

 

 

 

 

UNEXPECTED PLACES

 

 

in our American culture

creation of desire

is a patriotic profession

dissatisfaction drives profits

everyday life could always be more convenient

more exciting

more . . .

but I have become heretical

 

shockingly hard to detect

my wants are few

criticism wanes for the many

god doesn't love me

it doesn't matter

walmart doesn't either

my days pass in ordinary work, receiving little attention

for which I am grateful

 

satisfaction hasn't many buyers

though easily affordable

how can I say that the warmth of a sidewalk is a free sauna

walking past 24 hour fitness is just as beneficial as paying admission

that writing is scripture

is it not?

 

though I hope this doesn't last that long

like savoring air, it's meant for today

doesn't matter if anyone is listening

in fact, you might catch a tune your own

skipping along

having forgotten this

I hope so

bless you

 

 

 

 

 

MAKING WAVES

 

 

BEASTS WITH VOICES

slaves were called

 

climate change forced migrations and adaptation

trade and communication

built civilizations

seventy-five percent of earth's population

have cell phones

now everyone has a voice

says the History Channel

(Mankind Decoded)

 

in benign times no one notices

the ceaseless changes

no one cares

shouldn't we since now

necessarily we notice

the weather is beastly

 

sunspots, asteroids, volcanoes and earthquakes are

implacable as the profit calculation

that has brought manmade disaster

which might be mitigated by manmade changes

 

yes, the internet carries billions of voices

we babble, roar, giggle and sometimes say the obvious truth

 

 

listen to our planet

ask:

am I a slave?

 

 

 

 

FROG

 

 

a frog prince

 turned into a novelist by a kiss

from The Wicked Witch of the West

braves the dark and stormy night

 

evil publishers clutch greedily at the manuscript

which

like alphabet soup

might regroup into The Wall Street Journal

or Pilgrim's Progress

 

reviews so auspicious that he decides:

call me Frog!

I will accept donations

but from now on

no more kisses

 

the internet reverberates

thunder and videos

 

the Gold Miners game at halftime

is shut down by a power failure

 

Chinese government terrorists doing a propaganda run

not the really real thing they emphasize

in a secret message to The White House

just a hint of our novel in progress

send an advance and we'll fax the final chapter

 

a geosynchronous satellite spies Frog

 marching as to war

but not really

since that would delay the novel

 

 

no, it will be more

the end of pretence is in store

 

 

Chapter One

 

Gold Miners and knights of the City Council huddle

footballers eat hot dogs and drink beer

there is a great cheer

a great stadium will be built

it will pay for itself, and then some

with a little help from the Redistribution Agency

which the State has provided with funds for just such projects

there is no downside

citizens are assured

services they have paid for will continue

no matter what

 

 

Chapter Two

 

Investment Miners huddle

home loans are issued to those who can sign their name

loans bundled and sold to investors

who are assured

great profits

like the Redistribution Agency, except unofficial

 

 

Chapter Three

 

magical accounting becomes the mortgage meltdown

which might become  national

the Investment Miners are bailed out

Derivative Miners are shocked by the Great Tsunami

  economic earthquakes worldwide

have them looking for cover

magical accounting is weakening governments

virtual money can disappear in a millisecond

they envy  the Gold Miners

 

 

Chapter Four

 

Government Miners survey the scene

emergency salvage operations begin

to claw back what's left

the Redistribution Agency is cancelled

virtual money is deleted

 

 

Chapter Five

 

Gold Miners have turned virtual money into a tangible stadium

City Council informs citizens of a critical issue:

 

devastating, long-term impacts on vital services

and we are doing everything we can

to protect city taxpayer assets from State raids

 

Epilogue

 

Great Recession rolls over the world

 

 

 

 

 

OMNIBUS

 

 

KNOWLEDGE DRIVES

COMMERCE, CIVILIZATION AND POWER

 

 

three crows in a tree

soon to fly elsewhere

they will choose a route none can predict

shifting positions along the way

no one in control as many others join the flock

no one knows everything

everyone has something to say

 

I see their wings black across the sky

flying with them to unknown places

illusions

 

there seems to be a leader

not to be envied

invisible currents cause a revision

their calls fade to a blown horizon

sunset

 

perhaps they know

our planet has its own destination

led by forces unseen

though felt by all

ice caps melting

 

our foreknowledge of migrations is not better

though our history is better kept

but remembering it is no compass

our knowledge confined to limited directives

leaders

 

 

I see their wings

hear their words

and fly another way

 

 

 

 

 

 

HUMMINGBIRD FEEDER

 

in vain hope for a grandiloquent rose

forego a necessity for predicates

surpassing dawn's expression

the best poetry ends

in silence

 

which is the object of what?

 

how to reconcile the grit of existence

that continues in necessary degree

with Hamlet's question

which belongs to everyone

 

scratch the surface anywhere

and the quest begins:

 

a sale at Orchard Supply

which shovel is best

 

North Korea threatens nuclear annihilation of

the White House

or worse

the New York Stock Exchange

and we know they're insane

 

a refinery fire in Oakland palls the air

threatening to eclipse the murders there

 

polar ice caps definitely melting

 

pennants flapping and the music unheard

is what remains

 

 

 

 

 

 

THE DAY AFTER ETERNITY

 

 

life is hard

then we get old and die

put plainly, it's a bitch

 

but not to cry

anyone can get over it

the price is high:

everything

 

so do the math

lose everything and no reason to cry

otherwise:

sameo sameo

 

hard math

but let's cruise with this

 

where's the proof?

lose everything: done

everything?

 my proof is your palaver

 

flood waters rise, high winds blow

in California, where I live

spring is summer

what do I know?

 

the palaver:

well, maybe the math is too old

around the corner is a better place

better music there

who cares?

 

 

 

 

tough talk for tough times

gender, age, race, religion

doesn't matter

climate change is a bitch

and there is no other place

 

so don't take my word

I am not another place

but life gets tedious

don't it?

 

over here, over there

take your troubles anywhere

it's all the same

die bitching or get religion

take your pick

heaven comes now or later

 

but wait!

for only everything

plus just a bit of anything else

we can have eternal bliss

here and now

such a deal

 

yeah, life is hard

but there is no other place

why make it harder

it's not a bad place

tell everyone I said so

 

but what do I know?

 

 

 

 

 

IN A DAY'S WORK

 

 

streets scattered with blossom petals

paper thin

white shades of rain yet to arrive

people on the sidewalks

greeting each other and spring

though temperature records are broken

 

on Channel 5 the weatherman

always impeccably dressed

with balance and gestures refined

lets slip a comment unheard on G rated news

"something crazy going on"

 

will he be fired or admired

for saying the obvious

perhaps a Wiki hero is born

to be prosecuted and rendered for re-education

 

white petals, paper thin

 

two bumblebees having sex bump off my cheek

visitors from a deep well

twined in morning glory blossoms

 

my neighbor and customer walks up

wearing dark glasses

cataract surgery

he can play golf again

his happiness like sunlight, warm on my back

 

a young boy on his mini skate board stops by my truck

"hello"

he is intelligent and bright as the sky

"watch how I can accelerate"

and gone in a flash

 

rare privileges

for a gardener who just cuts grass

as the world passes

 

 

 

 

 

CHOICE

 

 

come, tell us

which ancestor so long ago

delved into realms of ancient wisdom

and said

what is this?

the other animals have claws and teeth

 

we must do better

what would that be?

 

we are smarter

more is better

we'll grow bigger brains

 

and it came to be

and now we rule

 

congratulations are in order

we are so refined

should we choose

we can change the climate

we can destroy the planet

whatever we do is better

 

isn't it?

 

 

 

 

KNOCK ON WOOD

 

 

maybe a great sunset:

oh! let's go there

funny thing once there:

oh, really the past was golden

why look anywhere else

 

why look?

pretty good question

ask again:

who looks

 

 

 



 

 

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The Gardener
Santa Clara, CA 95051
theroot_us@yahoo.com