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

  • HomeClick to open the Home menu
    • The Wave
    • The Henge
    • Jeans Are
    • Ghost Play
    • Tesla's Tavern
    • Daft
    • Coy Pond
    • Extreme Weather
    • The Visitor
    • Contagion
    • summation
    • Renewal
    • Friendly
    • Sound Check
    • Bee Tracks
    • Backyard Jungle
    • Dew Drops
    • The Hit
    • Rufus
    • Iridescent Bird
    • Tiger Tale
    • Early Bird
    • Red Rice
    • Etched
    • The Riddle
    • Orange
    • Insight
    • Peace Corps
    • going for the gold
  • an orange fordClick to open the an orange ford menu
    • world wide weeds
    • mythic flower song
    • ah the loafster
    • go turn any stone
    • a seasonal meal
    • crow's wheel rhumba
    • our nested realms
    • on a leafless tree
    • crows hackberry home
    • hen house serenade
    • plain as day
    • on becoming conscious
    • an even match
    • a history of tomorrow
  • Water SpoutClick to open the Water Spout menu
    • no blind spot
    • liberation
    • sun feather
    • creek shimmer
    • the engine telegraph
    • doom glow
    • the village bell
    • inner ear
    • free the clouds
    • noodles
    • og's paradox
    • fireflies at sunset
    • hue and laughter
    • for frankie
    • reason on the level
  • Atop the May poleClick to open the Atop the May pole menu
    • weeds
    • autonomous wheelbarrow
    • Bright colors Big balloons
    • bocce balls
    • human action
    • nasturtium
    • meaning
    • the trumpet
    • time lapse
    • tall tail
    • a better breeze
    • sunday thunder
    • two-way mirror
    • what we knew
    • larry 9-3-62
    • enough is
    • profusion
    • a jitney once
    • time's up
    • the cosmic well
    • the magic mountains
    • planchette pen
    • blankety blank
  • HeresayClick to open the Heresay menu
    • Heresay Three
    • Heresay Two
    • Heresay Four
    • Heresay Five
    • Heresay Six
    • Heresay Seven
    • Heresay Eight
    • Heresay Nine
    • Heresay Ten
    • Heresay Thirteen
    • Heresay Fourteen
    • Heresay Fifteen
    • Heresay Sixteen
    • Heresay Seventeen
    • Heresay Eighteen
    • Heresay Nineteen
    • Heresay Twenty
    • Heresay Eleven
    • Heresay Twelve
  • Being-TimeClick to open the Being-Time menu
    • Dominoes
    • Wood Duck Theater
    • Said The Crows
    • Frankie & I
    • From Here To
    • Larry Again
    • Pale Shadows
    • Rogue Wave
    • Fragen Shade
    • Dove Tail
    • Half-eaten Peach
    • Twilight Ozone
    • Midnight Sun
    • Granma's Kitchen
    • Category Zero
    • Ever After
    • Heresay
  • Cat's CradleClick to open the Cat's Cradle menu
    • Not A Quant
    • Sing, Sing, Sing
    • The Vortex
  • Living SpaceClick to open the Living Space menu
    • Planet Bliss
    • Blefirmagest
    • When We Wake
    • My Way
    • Music Loom
    • Banjo Blues
    • Reality Show
    • Twinkle
    • Frames
    • Ancient Pond
  • The ViewClick to open the The View menu
    • The Orion Factor
    • Humpty
    • The Unexplained
    • Untitled
    • Frankie
    • Thunder Fingers
    • Frankie & Twinkie
    • Death and Oranges
    • Clinkers
    • Brown Rice
    • Happens To Be
    • Twilight Tea
    • Fossils or Fusion
    • Three-Way Quartet
    • Artless Art
    • Blues Dhalia
    • Unboxed
  • TimelessClick to open the Timeless menu
    • Fossils
    • Just Add Water
    • O'l Factory
    • bAlls
    • Holo Words
    • Communique
    • Flight Line
    • The Leap
    • just SO
    • Tipster
    • Tripology
    • Twitch Hunt
    • An Audience
  • FusionClick to open the Fusion menu
    • Wheelbarrow
    • Endless
    • Segnaro
    • A New Page
    • Make It So
    • Gravel Gavel
    • Right On
    • Conspirit
    • Mind City
    • Hackberry Breeze
    • Peace Happens
    • For Sure
    • Sage Flat
    • Enchantment
  • The VanishingClick to open the The Vanishing menu
    • Sonorous Sun
    • Flung
    • Shuttlecock
    • Rhyme Time
    • JOY
    • Win-Lose-Draw
    • Text
    • Pale Blue Dot
    • Heliotrope
    • Cadillac Cat
    • Baker's Dozen
    • Roux
    • Crazy Quilt
    • The Warehouse
  • Beneath TreesClick to open the Beneath Trees menu
    • The Visitor
    • The Castle
    • The Airplane
    • Here Goes
    • Wood Song
    • Renegade Rider
    • Hot Saxes
    • Moving On
    • Search Dog
    • SETI
    • Fried Artichokes
    • The Rock
  • Rolling ThunderClick to open the Rolling Thunder menu
    • Toehold
    • Pistory
    • Back Beat
    • Next . . .
    • Stop and Go
    • Beyond
    • Sleep
    • Pulse
    • Outback
    • Retro
    • The Source
    • It Is
    • Red Berries
    • Communication
    • Simpatico
    • Salt Pond Dues
    • Green Gremlins
    • ONE
    • Tea
    • Magic
    • Jackdaw
    • Final Analysis
  • With FireClick to open the With Fire menu
    • Puff
    • Wild Onions
    • The Toll
    • Mute Messenger
    • Serentripity
    • Five Ring Circus
    • The Road To Well
    • Pacific Players
    • Gumbo Gone
    • MGB
    • Castle Rock
    • Truth
    • Breeze
    • Daycare
    • Nothing Doing
    • Existence
    • Flying Circus
  • FREEDOMClick to open the FREEDOM menu
    • The Corner
    • The A Train
    • Solstice
    • Holiday 2016
    • The Quarry
    • Suite Home
    • Spring
    • The Dream
    • Go For It
    • A Grove
    • Unfree Speech
    • Seasons
    • Wheelies
    • Rim Shot
    • Rain Drops
    • The Loft
    • Benton Street
    • Jingo Jangle
    • Surreygate
    • 'Snuff Box
    • Tiuana
    • Being
  • NO MINDClick to open the NO MIND menu
    • Surfing
    • H two OH!
    • SV Tweet
    • Fusion
    • Dove's Dream
    • Super Sol
    • Unseen Universe
    • Outsourced
    • Effortless
    • Fool's Gold
    • Between Storms
    • Gas Lamp Blues
  • Debit MemoClick to open the Debit Memo menu
    • Whim Logic
    • Ripples
    • Renewal
    • Frond
    • Noon Moon
    • The Red Seals
    • The Song Itself
    • Marmalade Mind
    • The Marquee
    • Dodge Cities
    • Book TV
    • Hymn
    • Referendum
    • Next
  • DRY CREEK OVERPASSClick to open the DRY CREEK OVERPASS menu
    • THE CREEK TALKER
    • heresy
    • nothing doing
    • the story
    • cap trade
    • burning bright
    • purgatory
    • the way
    • stirring coffee
    • Sightless Vision
    • dung flower
    • mute vision
    • dove
    • Margin!
    • Bone Deep
    • yestermorrow
    • the ROSE garden
    • Cancelled Flights
    • Oak Country
    • XTECHNO
    • gateless
    • Transitions
  • reckoningClick to open the reckoning menu
    • hysteria
    • juice like blood
    • yonder
    • step by step
    • sharp tools
    • blinders
    • plain clothes
    • souveniers
  • phoenixClick to open the phoenix menu
    • ashes
    • leaf mould
    • window blossoms
    • flat bush
    • improvised vision
    • 100 proof insurance
    • how's them apples?
    • bits and pieces
  • circling forthClick to open the circling forth menu
    • back home
    • middle earth
    • lightning strikes
    • tabitha
    • night vision
    • spirit tune
  • karmic fireClick to open the karmic fire menu
    • rosie
    • harbinger
    • sleepy time tea
    • speed bump
    • breaking news
    • juice
    • plenitude
    • brain storm
    • no price
  • wild muffinsClick to open the wild muffins menu
    • moments
    • bow sprit
    • taiko buzz
    • real music
    • from here to . . .
    • karma dogs
  • oil lamp daysClick to open the oil lamp days menu
    • repose
    • tranquility
    • harmony
    • rapport
    • departure
  • bird brainClick to open the bird brain menu
    • wind song
    • dust devils
    • folded echo
    • bach boogie
    • bird brain
  • rusted dinosaurClick to open the rusted dinosaur menu
    • blue haze
    • what hath?
    • fractal
    • transbiohomo
    • rusted
    • peacocks
    • beetles
    • tents
    • trance
  • sand dollarsClick to open the sand dollars menu
    • grist
    • griftology
    • gerrymander
    • gondolas
    • griffins
    • galloping
    • galaxies
  • LIFTOFFClick to open the LIFTOFF menu
    • commencement
    • joy nest leap
    • wisp of reason
    • breeze cap
    • the gathering
    • impersonal portrait
    • when chaos dies
    • going down the trail
  • oroborusClick to open the oroborus menu
    • smoke in our eyes
    • anthrology
    • buried gold
    • R and R
    • dominion
    • compost
    • oroborus
  • laughing thunderClick to open the laughing thunder menu
    • swivel liberty
    • scrabble stone
    • never never mind
    • clap rag shuffle
    • circus pipes
    • endurance
    • sky serpent
    • song breeze
    • fog thorns
  • thoth moodsClick to open the thoth moods menu
    • peace cloud
    • truth food
    • drifters
    • out of context
    • radar ears
    • crow song
    • green tea day
    • floating
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Savvy Neighbors Impede Profiteers
  • Links
  • AS THE WORLD BURNSClick to open the AS THE WORLD BURNS menu
    • the creek talker
    • ark welding
    • old tree
    • the compost bird
    • through the scaffold
    • holly day celebration
    • infinity paralyzes time?
    • opus 3!
    • way past

flat bush

 

 

FLAT BUSH©

 

 

 

TROLL BOOTH BOOGIE

 

 

Rumpelstiltskin could be a table leg

or a turn stile

but no, it's got to be a fairy tale

 

history is written by the victors?

humbug!

 

step into the troll booth

 

scholars burn their own candles

for instance a documentary on the dark ages

which has a scene eerily similar to another one

found in a documentary on slavery

with composition, lighting, colors that could be

identical twins raised in different countries

 

fascinating --

 

the documentaries

as intended

are forgotten

 

it's like searching for a dropped fly swatter

the question is

whose intention rules?

 

I am the swat team

 

burning the candle at both ends

think of the iridescent sheen

the marvelous colors of a fly's wing

 

think of the one that got away

to form its own band

leading others in a V-formation

audacious geese music

honking over trees down the horizon

to bless memories that made sense at the time

and still do without the burden of definitions

 

 

Rumpelstiltskin living in a tower

let down her golden hair

in braids

the green giant shinnied up

and they lived happily ever after

over a bowl of pea soup

 

 

 

ANTIMATTER

 

 

matter is statary energy

a yin yang market

 

black holes

where matter seems to disappear

are the ultimate waste disposal service

 

a parade of black pitted olives

reminiscent of sun dried volcanoes

tubas belching gas

passes in review

out of sight down an endless street

 

a floating dragon with piccolos

fire crackers perhaps

or a pelting drop of rain

heard vaguely as a child playing

 

suspended in a galaxy of cheese

black pitted olives

define white holes

where it all reappears

 

 

BLOWING LEAVES

 

“God has a bigger blower,” I said

scarcely concealing my irritation

when my customer years ago remarked

the futility of a windy day

 

regardless of anyone's belief

an invocation of some sort had seemed necessary

 

but surprisingly after that

the idea stuck around and became complicated

God – are you there?

Well then, the hell with you!

the absurdity of it becoming another complication

God never answered

 

it had seemed then, on reflection

that life is just one big test

 

I got a bigger blower

which brought some measure of success

but no real victory

 

I tried thinking my way out of it

God, no God, whatever the futility

clearly, I cannot control the wind

the admission being a moral victory

 

but a hollow one

 

being aligned with prevailing winds

our side yards here are natural wind tunnels

boosting the slightest breeze

 

for years mostly overpowered

the big blower sent leaves up

dropping down like fighter planes

raising dust as in the fog of war

 

then one summer day

when fewer leaves fall

the light blower seemed appropriate

 

and almost accidentally

out of one corner of my frustration

something always there finally registered

 

the breeze blows in gusts

during which an opposing force acts like a seawall

causing billows of leaves

 

the way through:

 

when the gust blows

pull back on the throttle

 

when it pauses

nudge the throttle

 

a constant intent going forward

through an inconstant breeze

gets the job done

 

 

 

FLAT BUSH CHARM

 

 

bring forth the batten song

call on Dumble Dorf to restore the holographic

quantum throng that tumbles the imagination

 

which has escaped beyond reason

hatching plots

not so much illegal as absurd

 

(here comes one now, its nose twitching slightly)

 

sir, this very morning when you brought the avocado

you were a normal squirrel, though somewhat eccentric

 

“I am, indeed.” he agreed

 

it was mistaken for a gift, I replied

 

“You presume too much. My gifts are for children.”

 

well then, what about the rose hip you brought

?

 

“Not for you.”

 

but you hopped off the fence with it

ran right up with a quizzical look

held it up like an offering

 

“I was hungry, and there you were.”

 

you are such a bushy tail flat minded squirrel!

 

remember when I planted your gift

if you don't mind

it seemed that way to me at the time

 

how did you know, and when, and why dig it up

?

 

“Telepathy.”

 

nonsense

how about those other times

you sitting in the hackberry tree

when we just watched each other

?

 

“Most humans are too busy.”

 

and when I discovered it near the garlic just planted

?

 

“We both have eyes.”

 

only to rediscover the following morning

after replanting it in the pot

that it was gone

?

 

“You are such a flat minded human.”

 

 



 

write "subscribe" or "unsubscribe"  in the subject line of an email to:  theroot_us@yahoo.com

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