Posts for June 25, 2022 (page 9)

Category
Poem

Heat Wave in Austin

Crispily crunchy
22, 24
The air has dried every thing on the ground
The cigarette ember has already caught fire to a wonderful smelling once green plant and its smoke floats up to our nostrils.
I pour some water down to put it out before the whole place goes up.
The water hits black lava stones,
In this artfully arranged Architect’s garden.

Last night a possum walked the perimeter. Each lumbering step creating such a ruckus
Like huge sheets of stiff paper crinkling
Such has the heat baked every leafy thing on the ground in Austin

The air wraps around my face like a warm woolen scarf. Being outside is like being slowly smothered in wool.
Thank goodness I’m in the shade, sipping ice water. Taking deep breaths and meditating on life giving energy.
It feels as if here, a watch might stop in the sun.


Category
Poem

Kindled

 Firewood in a pile of seared deadfall
from a big fire over a decade ago.
 Cut down to stove length then thrown
like stones toward the old mule trail.
 
 One big round splits down to the knot.
 The stuck axe will not go further.
   -sharp smack-  report from the maul 
drives the wedge deeper with every blow.
 
 Can cold coals set new wood aflame?
 
 Broken open clockworks of ring kept time
ask in an ageless voice, a slow complaint.
 A shard from one of the half burned splits
has become lodged in my book.
 It opens
to a fresh almost new section. In my own 
early hand one word, in a smear of charcoal. Yes
 
 

Category
Poem

the melancholy in a cheery park

The fish listened intently to what the frogs had to say, as well as to the trees who would gossip about those who walked underneath them as they’d sway
the whole park seemed to just chatter astray
it was laughter the wind sought after to carry 
away from those playing croquet 
and it was to my dismay I lay alone on a Friday in the park by the highway near the river by a railway in addition to an exiting pathway 

so many ways to leave on that day 
but I chose to stay with a melancholy delay